The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape
by Mrs Weasley
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione must deal with the consequences of the events in "The Best Man". The danger isn't over...
1. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Hermione is starting a new job...but recent events have made her think about relationships...  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: This story is for all the people who reviewed The Best Man and asked for a continuation of the story. If you haven't read The Best Man, you need to know that it is set 8 years after Hogwarts. Harry has just married Ginny, Ron and Hermione have just got back on speaking terms after six years of not speaking to each other, and Malfoy kidnapped Harry the night before the wedding and was prevented from carrying out his evil plans by Ron, Hermione, and Ron's colleagues from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. Oh yes, and Hermione's about to take up her new job as Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. Hope that's clear, though it would probably be easier to go and read The Best Man first!  
  
As with The Best Man, each part is told from a different character's viewpoint - Hermione first, this time.  
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 1.  
  
Hermione gave Professor McGonagall a rather tired smile. "It's fine, I'm sure I'll be very comfortable here," she assured her, looking around the room.  
  
"I hope so. Well, I'm sure you'll want some time to settle in. I'll see you at dinner." Professor McGonagall nodded to her newest member of staff and went out, closing the door behind her.   
  
Hermione walked over to the small arched window, set in the thick stone wall, and looked out across the grounds. The lake was rippling slightly in the autumn breeze, and she could see Mumble, Hagrid's successor, raking leaves off the distant Quidditch pitch, but Hogwarts looked strangly empty without any students. Tomorrow, the first day of the new term, things would be very different; it would also be Hermione's first real day as a Transfiguration teacher.   
  
Hermione turned back, and looked at the boxes and trunks of her possessions which stood in the middle of the bed-sitting room. She had intended to unpack and arrange her belongings before dinner, and go to look at her new office downstairs, but now she was suddenly too tired to bother, and instead she flopped down on the bed for a short rest. The last few days had been stressful - clearing out her London flat, getting the proofs of her new book corrected, visiting her parents, travelling to Hogwarts and then having that long introductory meeting with Professor McGonagall...she just wanted some peace and quiet before getting down to work.  
  
Being back at Hogwarts again was already bringing back a lot of memories, even though so much had changed. No Dumbledore, no Hagrid, no Snape...being here reminded her of so many people, but most of all, of course, it reminded her of Harry and Ron, and all the times they had shared together here.   
  
Harry and Ginny had invited her to come to dinner next Saturday. It was only a short walk from the school gates to their home in Hogsmeade, and Hermione was looking forward to seeing them for the first time since their wedding. The wedding - what a dramatic weekend that had been! Disaster had been so narrowly averted - Hermione shivered as she thought about what might have happened if she and Ron hadn't managed to find Harry and get him back in time for the wedding. The fact that she and Ron hadn't spoken to each other for six years hadn't seemed to matter so much during that crisis.  
  
She hadn't known what to expect, really, on meeting Ron again at the wedding. They had both held a little aloof to begin with, prepared for hostility, avoiding talking about anything important. But, by the time they had rescued Harry, at least they were talking again. During the ceremony, when everyone else's attention was focussed on Harry and Ginny, she had looked sideways at Ron, looking intent, serious and older in his unfamiliar suit and tie, with the flower buttonhole she had pinned on to his lapel herself. She had been very matter of fact about doing that, and concentrated on gazing very hard at her fingers fastening the flower and the pin, but she had been very conscious of his nearness, his breath just above her head, and most of all, the familiar smell of him which brought back memories so vivid she had to steady her face before moving away, and remind herself that many things had changed for both of them.  
  
At the wedding reception, she had watched Harry and Ginny start the dancing - faces close together, clearly wrapped up in each other for the moment. Mr. Weasley had touched her arm and asked her for the first dance.   
  
"I shall dance with Ginny next, I hope," he had said, "but Harry has first claim on her now. And you're the closest thing I have to another daughter."  
  
Unexpectedly, tears had stung Hermione's eyes. "You have two daughters-in-law," she had pointed out. "Susan and Penny."  
  
"I know, and they're both delightful, but you're an older accquaintance, Hermione, and we've missed you." There was a brief silence between them before he had said, "We don't want to lose touch with you again, Hermione. "Come and visit us whenever you want. It's too quiet here, now all the children have left home."  
  
"I'll come," Hermione had promised, touched by his concern.  
  
She had danced with Remus Lupin, with Harry, and then with Neville, who seemed delighted when she told him she had accepted McGonagall's offer and would be his colleague next term.   
  
After Neville, she had been taking a breather when Percy Weasley approached her, pompous as ever, greeting her as though she were a foreign dignitary. He had made polite enquiries about her books before launching into a long monologue about his work at the Ministry. Hermione had smiled politely. She liked Percy - though he was pompous, there was no malice in him - and he was Ron's brother. She whiled away the time trying to prevent Percy from treading on her feet, and noticing he would soon have a bit of a Ministerial stomach if he didn't watch out. Too much time sitting in offices, and too much Ministerial dining. Not like Ron, who was always dashing around the country, arresting warlocks, investigating illegal activities -  
  
It was then that she had been startled by the unexpected appearance of Ron himself at Percy's elbow, tapping him on the shoulder. "Hullo, Perce. Mind if I cut in?"  
  
Percy, not stupid, had looked quickly from his brother to Hermione before saying graciously, "Of course not - Hermione, it was a pleasure, please excuse me -" and moving away. Automatically, still taken aback, Hermione had put her hand on Ron's shoulder and let him steer her into the dance, while he joked about rescuing her from Percy, and she tried not to think about how much it disturbed her to be touching him again. It must have affected Ron too, because the first comments he made didn't make much sense, but they had both pulled themselves together and started talking about Harry's kidnapping and Malfoy's arrest. Ron had told her that he would have to leave first thing the next morning to report to the Magical Law Enforcement Squad on the whole incident. They had agreed that she would go to the M.L.E.S. offices on the following Tuesday to make her statement.   
  
"Ask for me at the entrance, and I'll come and find you, and show you around," Ron had offered.   
  
Back in London, and standing outside the M.L.E.S. building the next Tuesday, Hermione had had a serious talk with herself. "I'm just going to make my statement," she had told herself. "And if I can behave in a friendly way towards Ron, so much the better. All our friends are sick of us not speaking to each other. If we can act like friends again, it will be much easier for everyone. That's all there is to it. That's all he wants as well, I'm sure."  
  
But he had seemed pleased to see her, she thought. When she had asked at the reception desk, the young wizard there had jumped to attention and spoken into some gadget, and five minutes later Ron had appeared from a side-corridor, a welcoming smile on his face. "Hermione, you got here! Come to my office. Martin, could we have some coffee, please?"   
  
The young wizard had jumped up, muttering, "Of course, sir," and hurrying off.   
  
"Sir?" Hermione had asked quizzically, raising her eyebrows.   
  
Ron had looked faintly embarrassed. "It's just the hierarchy, you know how these places work." He had ushered her into a large office. He hadn't changed in some ways, she observed - the office was just as untidy as his area of the boys' dormitory at Hogwarts had ever been.  
  
She had made her statement, signed it, sipped coffee and chatted for half an hour, about the case, about the wedding, about nothing in particular. It had been pleasant, but as she left, she couldn't help thinking again how much they had changed. Here he was now, with his Grade Three squad leader status and his big office, giving orders calmly to his subordinates, and here she was, an honoured guest, a well-known author, just about to become Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. Six years ago, though...  
  
She had been an earnest student, fired up about her research, trying to find out all she could. Ron had mocked her ambitions, but he had been such an eager trainee himself. She remembered hoping that the M.L.E.S. would live up to his expectations, and knowing that it would be tough. He had poured out the details of his training to her when they were both poor students, sharing cups of coffee in cheap cafes on rainy days. There had been rides on buses, walks in the park and get-togethers with old schoolfriends at The Leaky Cauldron. There had been inexperienced but affectionate kisses, and warm embraces, and a little silver necklace with a cat pendant... There had been quarrels, and fierce hugs of reconciliation, but not much serious thought about the future.  
  
Then Bill had died, and so had the boy in Ron. He had become a bitter, angry stranger she didn't know. In that last quarrel they had both said things they didn't mean. He didn't know how to let her in to comfort him. He wanted to be alone.   
  
They had both been alone for a long time.  
  
This Ron wasn't that Ron. And she wasn't the same Hermione.   
  
He had said, that day at the M.L.E.S. building, that he would probably see her at Harry and Ginny's house some time, that he would be coming up to Hogsmeade soon, but he hadn't given a definite date. Hermione wondered what "soon" really meant.  
  
She was roused from her thoughts by the clanging of a bell. Surprised to discover that it was already dinner time, Hermione ran a comb through her short, tousled hair and hurried downstairs. The Great Hall seemed odd with all the student tables empty, and only the staff gathered around the top table. Hermione was greeted warmly by those of her colleagues who hadn't seen her yet, and Neville Longbottom, beaming broadly, waved her to an empty seat next to him. Eager and infinitely likeable, Neville chattered about Hogwarts news as Hermione ate.   
  
"So, are you looking forward to tomorrow?" he asked her.  
  
"I think so - I'm a bit nervous, of course, but I think I'll enjoy it once I get used to it."  
  
"Minerva's very pleased you agreed to join us."  
  
Hermione gave a little smile. "I'll never get used to calling Professor McGonagall Minerva. It sounds so odd. So, I hear you're the Head of Gryffindor House now, Neville, as well as Potions master?"  
  
Neville blushed. "Yes, actually. You know, you could be Head of Gryffindor if you wanted to. You were a Gryffindor too, and I'm sure you'd be much better than me -"  
  
"No, no," Hermione said hastily. "I'm sure you do a great job. Prof - Minerva told me you were very popular with the students."  
  
Neville blushed again.  
  
Remus Lupin, sitting opposite them, leaned forward. "So, Hermione, do you know any more about Malfoy and Lockhart's trial? When is it going to start?"  
  
"I'm afraid I don't know anything more than what's been in the 'Daily Prophet'," Hermione told him.   
  
"Oh? I thought perhaps you would have heard some more details from Harry, or Ron -"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not."  
  
"I suppose you'll have to be a witness at the trial, won't you?" Neville asked.  
  
"Yes. But I haven't heard when it will be." Hermione wasn't looking forward to the experience. She hadn't forgotten the hate and fury in Malfoy's eyes that night, when they had prevented him from carrying out the Resurrection Charm, and she hadn't forgotten the sorry spectacle of Gilderoy Lockhart, shabby, pathetic and reduced to playing the role of Malfoy's henchman. She did not relish the thought of facing them across a room at the Ministry. It would be difficult for Harry, too, but the others would be there - Leander, Alex, Bernard and Ivan - and Ron. She wondered if Ron had found out any more about Malfoy's plans - about the people who might have helped him. What about Severus Snape? Where was he now? Was he really involved in the same Dark Arts circle? And would Malfoy's arrest stop others from trying to cause more trouble?  
  
As the meal reached the dessert and coffee stage, Professor McGonagall tapped her cup to get the attention of her staff. "Now, I know that you all have a lot of preparation to do, but I will need to have a staff meeting tomorrow morning, straight after breakfast, to finalize timetables and discuss the changes for this year. Then you may have the rest of the day to complete your planning before the Hogwarts Express arrives with the students."  
  
Remus Lupin flashed a smile across the table at Hermione. "Look out, Hermione, this is where the real work starts."  
  
Hermione smiled back. "I don't mind. It feels good to be back."   
  
  
End of Part 1.  
  
Coming soon in part 2 - Harry's POV. Harry is troubled by bad dreams...  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Harry suffers from bad dreams, and sees a face from the past...  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: See end.  
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 2.  
  
Harry's head felt as though it was about to burst. The potion which had muddied his senses kept him paralysed, unable to move as the savage voice cut through him, ranting on and on.  
  
"You murdered my father, Potter! And you'll pay for it now - I have your blood, and you *will* speak the charm if you ever want to leave this room again -"  
  
His vision blurred, Harry watched the ripples on the bowl of scarlet liquid, drifting in and out of focus, and he felt the warm blood still trickling down his arm. He tried to think of ideas for escape, to remember ways he could use his powers to get out of this nightmare, but the scraps of memory floated away in his mind before he could grasp them. One image came into sudden focus - the clock on the sitting room wall behind Malfoy - his brain could not work out what time it showed - what time was it? He had to get back, he knew, there was something urgent - the wedding! Ginny! He had to get back - now -  
  
"I've waited long enough, Potter! Are you ready to do this - or do you choose to suffer the consequences?" The light glinted on the knife, lying beside the bowl.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Sweat pouring from his face, Harry jerked abruptly into consciousness, his breath coming in gasps, his eyes snapping open and staring wildly into the darkness.  
  
"Harry? Are you all right?"  
  
It took Harry a few moments to adjust to where he was. Malfoy's voice had gone. His head was clear. His arm was healed. He wasn't tied to a hard chair, but lying in a soft bed. The grey light of early dawn was seeping through the curtains, and the room was quiet, except for the rustle of the bedclothes as Ginny raised her tousled head from the pillow and leaned up on one elbow to peer at him anxiously through the gloom. "Did you have another nightmare?" she asked sleepily.  
  
Harry rolled over onto his back, and let out a long sigh as his breathing slowed. "Yeah. Sorry."  
  
"You can't help it." She shifted closer, pulling the covers up over both of them, and rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "Was it the same one?"  
  
"More or less."  
  
"You know, we could ask Madam Pomfrey up at Hogwarts - she might have something you could take to sleep better -"  
  
"No, it's all right, really. They'll go away soon."  
  
Although he couldn't see her face, now pressed against his arm, Harry could imagine her doubtful expression as she said, "I hope so. D'you want anything? A drink?"  
  
"No, it's O.K., Gin. Try to go back to sleep, it's really early still." As if to confirm his words, the clock on the bedroom wall chimed four, softly.  
  
"Mm -hmm." She snuggled down next to his shoulder, and after a few minutes she seemed to have drifted back into sleep. But Harry didn't even make the effort. His eyes still wide open, he stared at the shadowy ceiling, unwilling to risk re-entering the nightmare, and wondering how long it would be before these latest dreams stopped plaguing him.  
  
It had been over two months since Draco Malfoy and Gilderoy Lockhart had abducted him from The Burrow and held him hostage in Malfoy's house at Fairmile Cross. During the daytime, Harry had plenty to do to stop him thinking about what had happened, but at night, the events kept coming back to haunt him. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much. He had had worse experiences in the past - the struggle against Voldemort had been far more terrible, and Bill Weasley's death had left bigger scars on them all. Harry had expected to get over this fairly quickly, especially with all that was going on. He and Ginny had returned from their honeymoon and settled back into life in Hogsmeade. There had been a statement to make at the M.L.E.S., and thank-you notes to write for wedding presents. Harry and his team-mates in the Hogsmeade Hurricanes had been training hard for the new Quidditch season, and Harry had also had to write his regular Quidditch columns for the "Daily Prophet". Ginny had been busy with her job as the team's P.R. - there was a lot of team merchandise and publicity material for the new season to be sorted out. And there were always many friends to catch up with.  
  
Hermione had been teaching at Hogwarts for several weeks now, and she had been to dinner with the Potters several times. She looked well, Harry thought, and she seemed to be enjoying her teaching. She had told several funny stories about incidents in her Transfiguration classes, which had led them into a flood of reminiscences about their own schooldays. She was coming to see them in Hogsmeade today, since it was a Saturday. Ginny was planning a special meal tonight, because it would also be the first time Ron had visited them since the wedding.   
  
Harry knew how busy Ron had been in the past weeks - the M.L.E.S. had been working hard preparing the case against Malfoy and Lockhart. Ron strongly suspected that the Resurrection Charm was only one of the Dark Magic activities Malfoy was involved in, but it was difficult to find proof. Ron had been searching for evidence that Malfoy had other helpers in his schemes. Harry knew that he had been travelling extensively with members of his team, trying to track down known associates of Malfoy's. Several times, Ron had had to put off plans to visit Hogsmeade, but he had sent an owl yesterday to confirm that he had managed to get a weekend's leave, and was looking forward to coming.   
  
Harry had been thinking a lot about Ron and Hermione since the wedding. Now that they were speaking to each other again, Harry badly wanted his friends to get together. Secure in his relationship with Ginny, he wanted everyone else to be happy too, and, knowing his friends as well as he did, he was sure they both felt something missing from their lives. Whatever had happened between them in the past, he was convinced that deep down they still cared deeply about each other, and he thought it was significant that neither of them had managed to have a successful relationship with anyone else since their break-up.  
  
Ginny was all in favour of encouraging her brother and Hermione to get together. Harry had warned her not to be too obvious about this when they were both under her roof.   
  
So, Harry did have plenty to occupy his thoughts, and he wondered again why, with so many positive things happening, his nights were still broken with vivid memories of the abduction.   
  
The dawn light was brightening through the curtains. Ginny was still breathing peacefully. Harry wondered what the dawn looked like from the cell where Malfoy was being held. Was he thinking vengeful thoughts about Harry? Was he plotting revenge? What had driven him to such drastic action? He must have known that Harry would be able to identify him to the Enforcers - unless he had really intended that Harry would never get out of that house alive. Was he so desperate to have his father back? Had it been entirely his own plan, or was there someone else behind it? Had Malfoy's life, since his father's death, been so empty that he was willing to take any risk? Despite the nightmares, Harry couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity for Malfoy. Without good friends to steer him along the right path, might he, Harry, have ended up like Malfoy?   
  
Musing over this, Harry hardly noticed when the clock chimed five. His eyes slid shut, and he slipped back into a sleep which lasted until morning, and which this time was dreamless.  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
Harry hugged her as she stood on the doorstep of the cottage, twelve hours later.   
  
"Hope I'm not too early," Hermione said, hugging him back. "I'd finally caught up with my marking, and it was such a beautiful afternoon I wanted to get out of the castle and make the most of it."  
  
"Come in, come in. Yeah, it's great today. Hard to believe it's October."  
  
"Hi," Ginny called from the kitchen. Cooking was not Ginny's favourite activity, but when she did plan a special meal she would go to great lengths to make it perfect. "I need one or two more things, Harry. Would you mind nipping out and getting them before the shops shut?"  
  
"O.K." Harry reached for his cloak.  
  
"Can I come with you?" Hermione asked. "I'd like a chance to chat."  
  
"Sure." Calling goodbye to Ginny, they set off down the little lane towards the centre of Hogsmeade. On this sunny autumn day, with the shops about to close and Hallowe'en only a week away, the village was bustling with activity.   
  
"So, it's still going well at school, is it?" Harry asked, as they walked briskly through the crowds.   
  
"Yes, fine. I now realise what a pest I must have seemed sometimes to the staff."  
  
"What d'you mean?"  
  
"I've got a fourth-year student - Isabelle Inkpen - who's an incredibly hard worker. She keeps handing in essays which are four rolls of parchment long when everyone else has only filled one-"  
  
"Hmm, that reminds me of someone else-"  
  
"Yes, I know, well, I'm all in favour of hard workers - but it's a bit of a pain when I have to find the time to wade through it and mark it all. I never realised how long marking and planning lessons would take - I'm up till all hours some nights. Still, the teaching itself is fun."   
  
As they went about their shopping, Hermione made Harry laugh by telling him an anecdote about a first-year who had turned his finger into a knitting needle. The shopping was slow work, because so many people in Hogsmeade knew Harry, and wanted to talk to him about the Hurricanes' chances for the Cup, or how married life was suiting him, and Harry had to be polite and stop to talk to them all.  
  
"Ginny's doing chocolate cauldrons for dessert," Harry said. "You can guess why."  
  
Hermione smiled a little. "Still Ron's favourite? When d'you think he'll be here?"  
  
"Don't know - pretty soon, if he managed to get away from the office on time and there weren't any crises."  
  
They turned back towards the Potters' house, Broomstick Cottage. Harry shot a quick sideways look at Hermione. She had seemed pleased enough to hear than Ron was also coming to dinner - and she looked particularly nice, as though she had taken a good deal of trouble with her appearance. Her dress was the same shade of dark red as the one she had worn to the pre-wedding party - Harry thought it was a good colour on her, and he wondered if Ron would also appreciate it.  
  
The crowds were still thronging the streets. Harry looked across the road towards The Three Broomsticks, which seemed to be doing a roaring trade, with customers flowing in and out. Suddenly, he froze, and stopped walking. Hermione, taken by surprise, also came to a halt. "What's up?" she asked.  
  
Harry strained to pick out figures from the constantly-moving crowd. The tall figure in the black cloak kept disappearing from his view. But that first glimpse - when the man had turned slightly towards them - that hooked nose and sallow face - but where had he gone now?  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"I thought I saw - I'm sure it was him -" Harry walked quickly towards the entrance of The Three Broomsticks, and Hermione followed him, puzzled.  
  
"Saw who?"  
  
"Snape." But as the crowd around the door dispersed, Harry couldn't see the tall figure in black any more.  
  
"Snape?" Hermione exclaimed. "Really? Where?"  
  
"He's gone. But it looked like him - I can't be sure - I haven't seen him for eight years."  
  
"He'd be taking a chance coming to Hogsmeade," Hermione said, as they both looked inside the pub's doors and up and down the street. There was no sign of Snape - if it had been Snape - now. "He must know the M.L.E.S. want to question him. Malfoy's case has been all over the paper."  
  
"It really looked like him," Harry said in frustration, as they gave up their search. "Maybe it wasn't, though. Why would he come here? Anyone might recognise him."  
  
"We'd better get this shopping back to Ginny, she'll be wondering what's happened to us," Hermione said, and they continued on their way. Harry couldn't help glancing back towards the pub, but the mysterious figure who might have been Severus Snape was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed, as they opened the front door. "You were gone a long time. Ron's here!"   
  
"Yeah, and she's making me slave away chopping vegetables," Ron's voice complained from the kitchen. "Come and rescue me, Harry, this is supposed to be your job!"  
  
Harry grinned as he saw his friend. "No, no, keep going, I'm sure you're better at it than me," he said, handing the shopping bag to Ginny and sliding into a chair. "You finally made it, then!"  
  
"Yeah. It's been busy lately, I can tell you, but I think I've escaped for the weekend," Ron said. He looked past Harry towards the kitchen door. "Hi, Hermione. How's it going?" he asked, casual and friendly.  
  
"Fine, thanks." Hermione came into the room. "Can I help you, Ginny?"  
  
"No, no, sit down, you're a guest," said Ginny, peering at her book of cookery spells.  
  
"You sound like Mum," said Ron to his sister. "And how come I have to chop these, when I'm a guest too?"  
  
"You're my brother," said Ginny, with the air of one who has had the last word.  
  
"Something odd happened in Hogsmeade just now," said Hermione. "Harry thought he saw Snape."  
  
"Snape?!" Ginny and Ron exclaimed together. Ron narrowly missed chopping his own finger. "Where?"  
  
"It might not have been him - there was a crowd outside The Three Broomsticks, and I just got a glimpse. He had a cloak and hood on, but I was sure it was him for a moment," said Harry.  
  
"I wonder -" Ron said thoughtfully, going back to his task. "Why would he come here? There are plenty of people around Hogsmeade who'd recognise him. Maybe I should send an owl to the office, get a patrol up here to check it out-"  
  
"You can do that tomorrow," said Ginny firmly. "Now we've got you here, you're not allowed to do any M.L.E.S. stuff for the rest of this evening."  
  
Ron opened his mouth to protest, and shut it again. "I suppose tomorrow will do," he admitted.   
  
"Tell us about Hogwarts instead," Ginny asked Hermione. Harry saw Ron glance towards Hermione as she shrugged and agreed. Watching his friends with interest, Harry pushed thoughts of Snape to the back of his mind as they all joined in the chat and helped to prepare the dinner.  
  
End of Part 2.  
  
Coming soon in Part 3 (Ron's POV): Ron walks Hermione home after dinner - and then gets some disturbing news from the M.L.E.S....  
  
  
Author's Notes: I'm going to try to get as much of the story done as possible by this weekend because I'm going to be away from my computer for the whole of next week - going to the Isle of Wight with 40 10-year-olds (don't ask!). Note: I borrowed the name Isabelle Inkpen from one of the 10-year-olds - it's her real name! 


	3. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Ron works at rebuilding his friendship with Hermione - and then he receives bad news...  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: Ron's POV. In answer to some reviewers' questions, there *will* be more Snape and more slushy romance (not with Snape!) later on.   
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 3.  
  
  
"So, Ron, what's the latest on Lockhart and - Malfoy?" asked Harry, as they sat around talking after dinner at Broomstick Cottage.  
  
"Or is it classified information?" asked Ginny, sitting next to him.  
  
"Not to you," Ron said, quirking an eyebrow at her. "I can't tell you much more than what's already been in the papers. We've just been preparing the case for the trial."  
  
"Have you seen them?" Hermione asked quietly. Ron turned towards her.  
  
"Yes. Several times."  
  
"I bet they weren't pleased to see you," said Harry.  
  
"Not really. Lockhart's sort of collapsed since he was arrested. He just sits in the corner of his cell and mutters to himself. He doesn't really seem to understand what's happening. And Malfoy - well - I thought his attitude was strange."  
  
"What was strange about it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, you'd expect him to be furious - like he was the night we arrested him. I thought he'd be yelling abuse at me. But he seemed very - pleased - with himself when I saw him last week."  
  
"Pleased!" Ginny exclaimed. "What's he got to be pleased about? He's finally going to get his just deserts."  
  
"I know - but he kept smiling that nasty little smile of his - you know the one -" They all nodded fervently. "And he smirked at me when I said I'd see him at the trial. It was as if he didn't think there was going to be any trial."  
  
"That's weird," said Harry. "Mind you, I wouldn't put it past Malfoy to be plotting something. He usually is."  
  
"I know. But he's under guard all the time. I don't know what he can really do."  
  
"Ron - would you come and help me clear up a bit in the kitchen?" Ginny asked, getting up with some plates in her hands and jerking Ron a meaning look. He recognised it as a look which meant his sister wanted to have a private word with him, and followed her meekly, leaving Harry and Hermione to chat.  
  
"What's up?" Ron asked, stacking the washing-up in the sink.  
  
Ginny had pushed the kitchen door nearly shut. "Will Harry really have to go and give evidence at the trial, Ron? Isn't there any way you can get him out of it?"  
  
Ron was a little surprised. "Not really," he said, looking at his sister's earnest face. "He's the main witness - he has to give evidence about how Malfoy and Lockhart banged him on the head and kidnapped him."  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
"What's the matter? Doesn't he want to go?"  
  
"Oh, he hasn't said anything like that - it's just -" Ginny hesitated. "Don't tell him that I said anything to you, but he's been having awful nightmares about the whole thing, quite often."  
  
"About Malfoy?"  
  
"Yes. He won't tell me all the details, but I know he wakes up in a panic some nights, reliving the kidnapping."  
  
"Well, it must have been traumatic - but Harry's been in bad situations before..." Ron thought about it for a moment. "He did have nightmares at school sometimes, I remember - but I think they were mostly about Voldemort killing his parents." He was silent for a moment. "Perhaps it will be good for him to talk about what happened, at the trial - it might help him to stop thinking about it afterwards."  
  
"Maybe. Oh well. It can't be helped." But Ginny sighed, as she flicked her wand towards the washing-up, which started cleaning itself with soft clinks.  
  
"Is everything else all right?" Ron asked, not liking to see her looking so worried. "With you and Harry, I mean?"  
  
Ginny's face cleared. "Oh yes - fine! But it's been so busy lately, with the Hurricanes' season starting, we don't know if we're coming or going."  
  
Ron grinned. "When this trial is over I must try to come up and catch a game - I haven't been to a good Quidditch match for months."  
  
"You're a workaholic, that's why," Ginny scolded him, as they went back into the living room to join the others. "You should take more time off."  
  
Harry caught the last remark. "No good telling him that, Gin, you know work comes first for Ron!"   
  
Ron smiled at this, but inside he wondered, is it true? Is my work really the most important thing in my life now? And should it be?  
  
Talking of work had made Hermione check the time. "I should really be going, I suppose. I have to walk back to Hogwarts and it's getting late. Thanks for the great meal, Ginny. It was good to see you all."  
  
Ginny looked out of the window. "It's very dark - maybe Harry or Ron should walk up to the castle with you?"   
  
"I'm sure I'll be all right - " Hermione began, at exactly the same moment as Ron said,  
  
"I'll go, if you like." They both stopped, and Ron flicked her a quick glance before saying, "Of course, it's up to you."   
  
She hesitated for a moment. Ron couldn't read her expression, but she said, "Um - thanks. O.K., if you don't mind." Ron wondered if she was being polite or if she really did want his company.  
  
"Good," said Ginny firmly. "I know it's not that far but I wouldn't fancy wandering about after dark on that path by myself - you never know what might come out of the Forbidden Forest."  
  
Hermione gave Ginny a laughing look as she put on her cloak. "You think something nasty's going to come and get me?"  
  
"I'm sure with your powers you could defend yourself against most things," Ron said to Hermione, also reaching for his cloak, "but I'll come anyway. I probably need a walk after all that food you stuffed us with, Ginny."  
  
Hermione called goodnight as they set off. "I won't be too long," Ron told his sister, as she handed him a small lantern. He was staying overnight at Broomstick Cottage.  
  
The night was still quite mild as Ron and Hermione set off down the lane, and the dark sky was cloudy, although now and again the new moon emerged from the clouds.   
  
For about five minutes they walked in silence, tracing the familiar route through Hogsmeade towards the gates of the Hogwarts grounds. It wasn't an unfriendly silence, but Ron couldn't think of the right remark to make under the circumstances. He had been thinking about Hermione a lot ever since the events of the wedding weekend, but even so, he had been surprised at just how very glad he had been to see her when she had come to the M.L.E.S. to make her statement. She had been pleasant and friendly that day, but she was so self-possessed that Ron had no idea how she pictured their relationship developing, now that they were back on speaking terms. Did she just want to be friends, or was there still a chance that they could have more than friendship again? It was true that she wasn't with Stephen any more, but for all Ron knew there could be someone else in her life by now. It had been on the very night they had rescued Harry that Ron had admitted to himself what he secretly wanted - Hermione, back in his life again. In six years, no one had even come close to filling the gap she had left. But he knew - from bitter experience - just how much their break-up had affected her, and he knew it was a lot to hope for that she would risk letting him be the most important person in her life again.   
  
"So - how's Neville?" he asked, suddenly realising how long the silence had lasted, and asking the first thing that came into his head.  
  
Hermione smiled. "Oh, he's fine. The students love him - he's not exactly a disciplinarian but they seem to feel they have to look after him. I saw two second year girls the other day, chasing after him to give him his books and his wand he'd forgotten to take to a lesson."  
  
Ron grinned at this.   
  
"And the Gryffindors are terribly careful about losing house points these days," Hermione continued. "One of them told me they didn't like losing points because they didn't want to upset Professor Longbottom."  
  
"Not much like our day, then," Ron said. "Between you, me, Harry and the twins we must have lost Gryffindor points by the sackfull."  
  
Hermione looked a little shamefaced. "Mm. Anyway, it's a nice staff - I'm lucky to be working with people like Neville and Remus and Minerva. The only person I'm not so keen on is Grace Gaunt, the Arithmancy teacher and Head of Slytherin - and even she's not half as bad as Snape used to be."   
  
"She couldn't be worse, could she?" They had reached the darkest part of the path, with tall trees looming on each side. Ron's lantern cast just enough light to see where they were going. "Did you see the person Harry thought was Snape today?"  
  
"No - by the time I looked, he'd gone. But Harry seemed sure it was him."  
  
"I can't help feeling Snape's up to something. He's been lying very low lately - I haven't proved anything but I'm sure he's a prime mover in the group that Malfoy belongs to. Even with Malfoy in jail I'm sure they have other plans."  
  
They were out of the trees now and crossing the grass towards the front entrance of the castle. Most of the castle was in darkness, but there were still lights burning in some windows, and light spilling out from the front door. Two people were just walking up the front steps as Ron and Hermione approached, and in the light from the doorway Ron recognised them as Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin.  
  
"Ah, there you are, Hermione," Professor McGonagall said, as she turned and recognised her Transfiguration teacher. "Did you have a nice evening?"  
  
"Lovely, thank you," Hermione answered, as they all entered the hallway.   
  
"Hullo, Ron," said Remus Lupin. "Coming to visit the dear old school?" He said this with an ironic look at Ron, who smiled, but thought inwardly that Lupin didn't miss much, and could probably read him like a book.  
  
"Not really. I'm just walking Hermione back here."  
  
"It's a very fine night," Professor McGonagall agreed. "We've just taken a last stroll around the grounds - I must say the Quidditch pitch is looking in splendid condition, I must congratulate Mumble."   
  
"Come up for a drink, you two," Lupin invited Ron and Hermione. Ron waited for Hermione's reply before he accepted too. Saying goodnight to Professor McGonagall, they made their way along corridors and upstairs to the wing where most of the teachers' rooms were. They were approaching Lupin's room when the sound of hurried footsteps came from a side-corridor. Lupin paused, and looked slightly annoyed as two boys - Ron guessed they were third or fourth years - panted into view.   
  
"Peacock - Wild - what are you doing out of Gryffindor Tower at this time of night?"  
  
"Please, sir," gasped the taller boy, "We came to find one of the teachers because Nigel Spinnet isn't in our dormitory and we think he might have gone sleepwalking again."  
  
"Oh, Lord. Last time he ended up on top of the Astronomy Tower." Lupin turned to Ron and Hermione. "I'd better go and investigate. I won't be long - hopefully."  
  
"Should I come?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No, I can manage - get Ron a drink, and I'll be with you as soon as I can."  
  
Lupin hurried off with the two young Gryffindors. Ron couldn't suppress a smile as he remembered similar night adventures from his own Hogwarts days, and looking at Hermione he saw that she was smiling rather ruefully too. As their eyes met, Hermione said hurriedly, "This is Remus's room - mine's just up there - " She pointed further along the corridor. As she spoke, there was a peculiar muffled thud and a hiss, coming from the direction in which she was pointing. This was followed by another hiss and a loud scratching noise.  
  
"What's that?" Ron asked, intrigued. "Hang on, though - I've heard that noise before somewhere - don't tell me -"  
  
"It's Crookshanks," Hermione confirmed. "I must have accidentally left him shut in my room when I went out tonight. He hates being shut in."  
  
"By the sound of it, you won't have much of a door left to shut if you don't do something about him quickly," Ron remarked. Hermione sighed, and they walked towards her door. Another loud thud rocked the door as they reached it.   
  
Ron, who knew from experience that Crookshanks in a bad temper was not always a good thing, stood well back as Hermione opened the door and a large orange blur launched itself through the air.   
  
"I'm sorry, Crookshanks," Hermione murmured, petting the huge cat which had leapt into her arms. "I didn't mean to shut you in."  
  
Crookshanks answered her with an indignant "Miaow."  
  
"Hullo, Crookshanks," said Ron, reaching out carefully to stroke the cat. Many years ago, he and Crookshanks had been sworn enemies, but they had got to know each other better after that. "I haven't seen you for a long time." Six years, he thought. He looked around. "Nice room you've got here," he said politely.   
  
"Um - take a seat," Hermione invited him, rather to his surprise. "I'll get you a drink." Ron sat down in the nearby armchair, and promptly had his breath knocked out of him as Crookshanks leapt unexpectedly from Hermione's arms to Ron's lap. He trampled it a few times, tail waving, before sitting down with a heavy thud and starting to purr deafeningly.  
  
"I suppose he remembers me," Ron said, rather flattered by this attention.   
  
"Of course he does." Hermione looked as if she was trying not to laugh as she saw Crookshanks pinning Ron to the chair. She passed Ron a glass.  
  
"Your books look good there," he said, nodding towards the shelf where he recognised Hermione's own books, her name in gilt letters on the spines. There was a similar shelf in his own flat, since he had bought each book himself, during those long years when reading her words had been the only contact he had had with her.  
  
Hermione got herself a drink, and they talked, more easily than Ron had expected. Ron hoped he was managing to hide how much this room - full of Hermione's personality - reminded him of her old student digs where he had once visited her. Many things were different, of course, but there were enough of the old familiar things in the room to bring back a lot of memories. He didn't want to return to that time, though - he wanted to create something new - so he didn't talk about past history, but kept the conversation light, talking about Hogwarts, Harry, Ginny and his family at The Burrow.  
  
When Crookshanks finally jumped down on to the floor, and Ron was able to move again, he looked at his watch and was amazed to see how much time had flown past while they had been talking. "I'd better go," he said, rather reluctantly. "Ginny will think something nasty's dragged me into the Forbidden Forest if I don't get back soon."  
  
Was it his imagination, or did Hermione also look a little reluctant to end the evening? She got up, saying, "I wonder what happened to Remus? Maybe I'd better go and see if he does need more help to find Nigel." They walked to the place where the corridor divided.   
  
"I'll see myself out," Ron said, nodding towards the stairs which would lead him down to the hallway. There was a moment of hesitation as they stood there together. Ron had a vivid memory of dancing with her at the wedding reception - the first time he had touched her in too long. He longed to touch her now - she was standing only a few feet away - to kiss her goodnight as he hadn't done for so long - but he wasn't sure how she would react. What if she didn't feel the same way? If she didn't want him to touch her again? The fragile friendship they had rebuilt in the last few weeks might be wrecked again in one careless moment. He would wait until he was sure.  
  
So he raised his hand in a wave, as he turned to the stairs. "Hope you track down your missing student. 'Night, 'Mione."  
  
"Goodnight, Ron." She was gone, down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower, and now that she was out of sight Ron half-wished he had taken a chance and tried to kiss her after all.  
  
He hurried back through the darkness, leaving the lights of Hogwarts behind him and passing through the quiet night streets of Hogsmeade, where even the Three Broomsticks was now shuttered for the night. There was a light burning in the window of Broomstick Cottage as he walked up the path, and the door was opened before he touched it. Ginny had been watching for him.  
  
"You're late," she said, sounding more hopeful than annoyed, as though she hoped he had been using his time with Hermione well. Ron knew how his sister's mind worked.   
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean you to stay up and wait for me-"  
  
Harry appeared from behind Ginny. "That's all right - but there's been an owl for you." He handed Ron an envelope. "It's marked URGENT so we thought you'd better have it straight away."  
  
Ron glanced at the envelope. "From the office." He ripped it open, scanned the short message and felt his heart sink. He looked up at Ginny and Harry, who were waiting expectantly. "Sorry, I won't be able to stay the night, after all. I must get back to London as quickly as I can."  
  
"I hope it's not bad news," said Ginny anxiously.  
  
Grimly, Ron nodded, crumpling the letter in his hand. "I'm afraid so - I don't know how it can have happened - but Malfoy's escaped from prison."  
  
End of Part 3  
  
Please review! I will try to finish part 4 at least before I go away for a week.   



	4. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Hermione is worried about Ron...and then visitors arrive with more bad news...   
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: Hermione's POV. I'm sorry there's been such a long wait since I posted Part 3, but a lot has happened in real life. I will try to get Part 5 out sooner, but the next two weeks will also be very hectic! I have already jotted down some good romantic and scary bits for later though...  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 4.  
  
Three days later...  
  
"Professor Granger! Professor Granger!"  
  
Hermione, on her way down the corridor, turned to see three of her fourth-year Gryffindor students hurrying towards her, puffing. She recognised Isabelle Inkpen, Ben Peacock and Jonathan Wild, who were usually seen together around Hogwarts - just as she, Harry and Ron had once been.  
  
"Yes, Isabelle?" she asked, rather wearily. Hermione had just had a rather difficult hour with the third year Hufflepuffs, during which one boy, asked to turn his shoe into a lizard, had managed to conjure up an extremely bad-tempered crocodile which had narrowly missed biting off his partner's hand before Hermione had managed to turn the reptile back into a shoe.  
  
Isabelle, a tall, fair girl, looked anxious. "Sorry to bother you, Professor Granger, but we can't find Nigel Spinnet. He was in our Potions class this morning but he didn't turn up for Arithmancy and Professor Gaunt was furious."  
  
Hermione knew the answer to this problem. "Don't worry, I saw him with Madam Pomfrey halfway through the morning. She was marching him off to the hospital wing - something about him needing to catch up on the sleep he's missed after all that sleepwalking he's been doing lately. If you recall, he dozed off in my lesson yesterday!"   
  
"Oh - yes!" Ben Peacock grinned. "I expect he's still with Madam Pomfrey then."   
  
"I suggest that when you see Nigel again you advise him to go and grovel to Professor Gaunt about missing her lesson," Hermione said, smiling slightly herself.   
  
"Professor Granger, have you heard about Draco Malfoy escaping from prison?" Jonathan Wild put in. "You were at Hogwarts with him, weren't you?"  
  
Hermione gave him a piercing look. Jonathan was famously inquisitive. "Yes, I had heard the news, and yes, I was at school with him. We did not get on!" she said.  
  
Isabelle had given Jonathan a dig in the ribs. "Haven't you read *any* books, Jon? They were on different sides when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts - the Malfoys were on Voldemort's side but Professor Granger and Harry Potter and - "  
  
"Yes, all right, Isabelle, Jonathan can read up his history later," said Hermione, who did not feel this was the right moment to rehash all the events of her seventh year at Hogwarts. "May I remind you that lunch is in five minutes?"  
  
The three Gryffindors apologised and hurried off, and Hermione continued on her way to her office, where she left her books on her desk and tidied herself for lunch, thinking about Malfoy's escape, which had made headlines in the "Daily Prophet" every day for the last three days. Apparently, no trace of Malfoy had been found since his disappearance from prison, and interrogating Lockhart had proved useless, which did not surprise Hermione.  
  
The paper had reported that every M.L.E.S. agent was working overtime on the case. Hermione had heard from Ginny how Ron had been abruptly summoned back to London to lead his squad in the investigation. She had mixed feelings about his departure. On Saturday night, she had felt so comfortable with him for a few hours - the first time they had spent so long alone together, just talking, in a very long time. When he had got up to leave, she had been reluctant to break the mood, and she thought that he had too. For a moment, as Ron hesitated before saying goodbye to her, she had thought that he was going to touch her, and had felt a pang of disappointment when he did not.   
  
She had lain awake that night re-running the evening's events in her mind, and wondering if she would see him again on the Sunday while he was staying with Harry and Ginny, and how he would behave to her if they did meet. She could not work out whether he was merely happy to be friends again, or if he genuinely wanted more, but she had felt torn between relief and disappointment when she had found out that he had gone. She could not help wondering where the search for Malfoy had taken him now, and whether he was thinking about her at all, as she was thinking of him. But she was determined to get on with her life - she didn't want to spend it sitting around waiting for him to get in touch with her.  
  
The gong sounded, and Hermione followed her usual routine as she entered the Great Hall. As ever, students thronged the tables, a buzz of conversation filled the air, and at the staff table there was a spare seat between Neville Longbottom and Remus Lupin. Remus had heard about the crocodile incident already, and kidded her gently about it. "I sometimes worry about that boy - some of his ideas of Defence Against the Dark Arts are very odd too!"  
  
Hermione and Neville were smiling at this when Grace Gaunt, the thin-lipped Arithmancy teacher and current Head of Slytherin, leaned across the table and said cuttingly, "When you see Nigel Spinnet in your house, Professor Longbottom, would you inform him that I wish to see him over his non-attendance at my lesson this morning? I will, of course, be deducting points from Gryffindor and imposing a detention."  
  
Neville's round face fell, and he looked as disappointed as he usually did if he thought one of his Gryffindors had let him down. Hermione leapt to his defence. "I hardly think that would be fair, Grace - you see, Madam Pomfrey took Nigel off to the hospital wing at morning break. Obviously she forgot to tell you, but you can't take points away from Nigel, he didn't choose to go."  
  
Professor Gaunt's lips thinned even further. "Indeed?" She turned away towards Professor McGonagall. Hermione exchanged meaning looks with Remus and Neville.   
  
Remus, evidently trying to change the subject and distract the worried Neville, pulled the "Daily Prophet" towards him. "Have you seen the paper today? They still haven't caught up with Malfoy, and now the plot has thickened."  
  
"Oh - how?" asked Hermione, buttering bread.  
  
"Apparently a squad of M.L.E.S. agents were sent to Cornwall following a tip-off on Sunday night. They haven't been heard from for the last two days. The Ministry is beginning to get worried and thinking about sending out rescue parties. You wonder how five agents can vanish into thin air, don't you?"  
  
The butter-knife in Hermione's hand was suddenly still. "Five M.L.E.S. agents? Does - does it say who they are?"  
  
Lupin flicked down the page. "No...I suppose it doesn't give names for security reasons..." He looked up, and noticed the sudden pallor of Hermione's face. "Oh - I'd forgotten about Ron - he's an agent, of course. But I shouldn't worry, Hermione, the odds are it isn't his lot, and I should think they'll probably turn up soon anyway."  
  
"Yes..." Hermione forced herself to swallow a piece of bread, and continue with her meal, although the food felt like lead in her stomach. It probably wasn't Ron's squad - but what if it was? Where were those missing agents? She thought of the likeable people she had met the night that she, Ron and his squad had set out to rescue Harry - Ivan - Leander - Bernard - Alexandra -. Were they all in some unknown danger, or were they safe and busy investigating Malfoy's disappearance? She knew it was illogical to feel like this. She knew Ron had been in danger many times because of his job, during all those years when they had not been speaking to each other. She hardly had the right to worry about him...and yet...she couldn't help feeling as though a weight was pressing on her chest, and she spent the rest of lunchtime crumbling her food. Lupin and Neville were particularly nice to her, chatting about other topics. After his seeing them together on Saturday night, she could hardly blame Remus for thinking, as he obviously did, that she might have a special concern for Ron.  
  
Hermione made an effort not to think about the Malfoy case or the missing agents during the rest of her working day. Her afternoon classes passed uneventfully - no unexpected crocodiles appearing this time. She was relieved when classes were finished for the day and she could escape to her room to think in peace and correct students' work.   
  
She was just waiting for the dinner gong to sound, and straightening up her room, when there was a firm knock on her door. Hermione went to the door, and was surprised to see the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, standing there. "Can I help you, Minerva?"  
  
Professor McGonagall was looking unusually grave. "Ah, Hermione. It is not I who needs your help, in fact. There are some visitors from the Ministry in my study, and they would like to speak with you about a very important matter."  
  
"With me?" Hermione said in surprise, her thoughts immediately jumping to Ron again. "Has - has something happened - have they had news - ?"  
  
"I think you'd better come and they can explain matters to you themselves," Professor McGonagall said, almost kindly, as she steered Hermione down the corridor. Hermione made an effort, as they walked, to collect her thoughts, but inwardly she was trying not to panic. What if the worst had happened? But she wouldn't hear it from the Ministry, surely - they would tell Ron's parents, she would hear it from them...  
  
Hermione and Professor McGonagall took the moving staircase up to Professor McGonagall's study, once Professor Dumbledore's. Hermione had always thought it was a beautiful room, but today she only had eyes for the three people sitting in armchairs, waiting for her. There was an older man in dark robes with an intelligent face - she did not recognise him, but she recognised the other two men. One, sitting in a corner with a notebook on his knee, was Martin, the young wizard who had brought her coffee on the day she had visited Ron's office. The other, who was looking very serious, and got to his feet as she came in, was -  
  
"Harry! What are you doing here?" Hermione asked in surprise.  
  
"Take a seat please, both of you," Professor McGonagall instructed them, as she herself sat down behind her desk. Used to obeying her, Harry and Hermione both sat down. The older man leaned forward and shook Hermione's hand.   
  
"Miss Granger - my name is Priskett - I am the C.E.O. of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad -"  
  
"Oh yes, I've heard of you," Hermione interrupted.  
  
"Really? Well, I expect Ron has mentioned me - no doubt you are wondering why we are here, though, Miss Granger - or should I say Professor?"  
  
"Please, call me Hermione," she said politely. "Is it - is it something to do with the missing agents who are looking for Draco Malfoy? Is Ron -" Hermione broke off, and avoided the sympathetic gaze of Harry, who was looking at her across the room.  
  
"Ah, you are well up on recent events, I see. Good. Yes, Hermione, I'm afraid we are here in connection with that matter. On Sunday, we at the M.L.E.S. received information which led us to believe that Draco Malfoy might have taken refuge in Cornwall. I sent my best squad to follow up the lead, with instructions to report back and let me know if reinforcements were needed. Ron Weasley was leading the squad - Harry tells me you have both met the other members of the team - Leander Vine, Bernard Turvey and the others?"  
  
"Yes - I've met them once."  
  
"Mm. Well, they went off on Sunday night. We had one communication to say that they had reached the search area, and then we heard nothing - all our attempts to contact them failed - we couldn't find out anything - until this morning."  
  
"You heard something?"  
  
"Yes - in a way." The C.E.O. exchanged solemn glances with Professor McGonagall and Martin. "A local wizarding family who live on a remote farm found Bernard Turvey lying in one of their fields, very badly injured. He is now being given the best care, of course, but I'm afraid he is very ill and hasn't been able to talk to us yet. But we found this letter in one of his pockets." The C.E.O. produced a rather tattered looking piece of parchment, wrapped in an evidence bag, from one of his own pockets. "It is unsigned, and our wizards haven't been able to identify the writer, but we have to believe that Malfoy or one of his accomplices must be responsible for it."  
  
"What does it say?" Hermione asked impatiently.  
  
"The gist of the message is that the person who attacked Bernard Turvey has somehow managed to take Ron, Ivan, Alex and Leander prisoner and is holding them at an unknown location - together, I'm afraid, with the two small daughters of another local wizarding family, who have been missing for two days. The writer threatens to kill all of them - my squad and the children - unless we meet their demands."  
  
"And what are their demands?" Hermione said quietly, her eyes fixed on his face.  
  
"The writer - Malfoy? - whoever - is prepared to exchange Ivan, Alex, Leander and the two children for yourself and Harry. Naturally, I can't agree to such a demand, but we may be able to work out a plan to trick these people if you and Harry would agree to travel to the area - if you appeared to be willing to hand yourselves over - "  
  
Hermione looked straight at Harry for the first time. They knew each other well enough to be able to read each other's expressions, and she could see her own feelings written on his face. "Of course we'll go."  
  
"Think carefully, Hermione," Professor McGonagall urged her. "No one can guarantee your safety - whoever is behind this, it's obviously very dangerous -"  
  
"Minerva, I have to go." Hermione was imagining how the parents of the missing children must be feeling. She was trying not to think about Ron too much. "I'm sorry about my classes -"  
  
"Oh - " Professor McGonagall dismissed that with a wave of her hand, "- never mind your classes. We can manage. I can fill in with the Transfiguration. It's your safety I'm concerned about. And Harry is newly-married -"  
  
"Have you talked to Ginny about this?" Hermione asked Harry.  
  
He nodded, looking strained. "She's in a terrible state - worried about Ron, and worried about me going, but she agreed I had to go and help if I could."  
  
"Yes." Hermione looked back at the C.E.O. "When do we leave?"  
  
End of Part 4.  
Please review!  
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Harry and Hermione arrive in Cornwall, but will they be able to save Ron and the others?  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: This is a pretty dark episode, and more scary stuff to follow in part 6, but the rest of the story won't all be like that!  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 5.  
  
  
Harry stood by the window in the middle of the small room and looked out at the trees, and the glimpses of distant sea which were visible between the trunks. He was trying not to remember how upset Ginny had been when they had left the previous evening. She had not cried, but tears had not been far away.  
  
He looked round towards Hermione, who was sitting on a chair across the room, watching two of their guardians talking. She was dry-eyed, her face rather pale and set. Harry had a good idea of what was running through her mind, although he couldn't be sure. He would dearly have loved to know what had happened on the night that Ron took Hermione back to Hogwarts. How did matters stand between them now? Harry sighed. His friends' relationship, intrigued though he was by it, seemed to matter less now that lives were at stake - Ron's life among them.  
  
Yesterday evening they had Apparated to the "safe house" in Cornwall, a small stone cottage with a slate roof, in the middle of a copse of trees, and magically protected from discovery by wandering Muggles. By daylight, Harry had noticed the land sloping down to the cliffs and sea on one side, and sloping up on the other side towards a distant hill. But they had not left the building since their arrival.  
  
Priskett had accompanied them himself - the fact that the C.E.O. wanted to be there in person underlined the seriousness of the situation. He had brought with him Martin, the young wizard, as his secretary or personal assistant. There was also the team of agents from the M.L.E.S., whose jobs including monitoring the hostage situation, following Priskett's orders, guarding Harry and Hermione and seeing to the housekeeping of the cottage.  
  
As soon as they had arrived, Harry had sent an owl to Ginny, telling her that he was thinking of her, and would do his best to make sure that he, Ron and Hermione all came back safely.   
  
That morning, since there had been no more messages from the squad's abductors, Priskett had suggested that they should visit Bernard Turvey. "He's not well enough to talk to anyone yet, but if the people who are responsible for all this are monitoring him, they'll see you visiting him and know you are around. We want them to know you are here and ready to be handed over."  
  
On the night when Bernard and the rest of Ron's squad had rescued him from Malfoy and Lockhart, Harry had been drugged and hit on the head, so he didn't rememember Bernard or the other agents very clearly. Hermione did, though, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw Bernard lying motionless in the bed where he was recovering.  
  
"Oh, my God," she breathed. "What did they do to him?"  
  
"He looks much better now than he did when he was found," the witch taking care of Bernard told them. "We're hoping that in a few more days he might be waking up and talking to us."  
  
Harry, Hermione and Priskett did not stay long by the sickbed. They returned to the cottage, where the team of agents were still trying to work out a plan.  
  
"It's very dangerous. How can we make them release the prisoners - especially those two children - without actually handing you over?" muttered Martin, flicking through sheaves of paper on which people had been jotting down their ideas.   
  
"We don't even know where they're holding Ron and the others prisoner," Harry pointed out.   
  
Hermione was looking through the papers too. Her hand stopped as she found the wizard photograph of the two missing children, Morwenna and Meredith Carlyon. Very alike, the two little blonde girls were smiling and waving from the picture. "I can't imagine what their parents are going through," Hermione murmured.  
  
Harry looked around at the room full of worried people. "I'm going out for a breath of fresh air," he said, making his way to the door.  
  
"You should take someone with you," Priskett said, looking up.  
  
"I'm only going out into the garden," Harry said firmly. "There's no need for a bodyguard." It was not the first time in Harry's life that other people had thought he needed protecting, but it still irritated him.  
  
Priskett looked doubtful, but did not argue, as Harry left the room.   
  
Outside, the air was cooler. A damp mist was coming in from the sea, and a breeze was plucking at the leaves of the trees which surrounded the cottage. Harry had no intention of going out of sight of the building. He just walked around, looking across at the big hill or the mist-shrouded coast. So much further south than Hogsmeade, there were flowers growing here he didn't know - even though the Hogwarts greenhouses had always held a motley collection. He was bending to look at one brightly-coloured plant when he noticed the parchment. It had been folded and rammed into a crack in the trunk of one of the biggest trees, opposite the door of the cottage. Harry looked quickly around, but there was no sign of anyone nearby. He pulled out the parchment and looked at it. Across the outside was scrawled "Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." Harry unfolded it.   
  
The message was written on a similar torn piece of parchment to the first note which had been found on Bernard. It was quite a short message, and very clear in its instructions.   
  
"Come to the top of Carn Brea at midnight. Come alone. Do not bring assistance from the Ministry with you unless you want us to dispose of our hostages immediately."   
  
It was, of course, unsigned.  
  
Harry looked at the message again, then at the door of the cottage, and then back to the note. What he should probably do, he realised, was to rush into the cottage and display this message to Priskett and his team of agents. Yet he hesitated, and after a moment stuffed the parchment into his pocket. He wanted to show it to Hermione first, in private, and discuss it with her.  
  
He had to wait a while for the opportunity. Everyone gathered together for the evening meal, but afterwards the agents went back to their anxious discussions and Priskett wrote several messages to dispatch back to London by owl. Hermione had gone upstairs to the small room she slept in, and no one tried to follow Harry when he went upstairs too.  
  
He tapped at the door of the room Hermione was sharing with a female agent - a minder, she said - and heard her tell him to come in. She was alone, looking out of the window. "Hi, Harry." He sat down next to her on the windowseat. Hermione glanced sideways at him, and raised an eyebrow. She knew him so well that she could guess something had happened. "What's up?"  
  
Harry pulled the parchment out of his pocket. "I found this before dinner - wedged in a tree trunk outside. I think it's from the same people who sent the first message."  
  
Hermione took the note and read it. "It seems like it. Have you shown it to Priskett yet?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"You should."  
  
"I know...but..." Harry paused, frowning. "I've been thinking - are this lot really going to find a way of getting all the prisoners out from wherever they are, without actually handing over you and me, as the first note asked?"  
  
"I've been wondering how they were going to manage that," Hermione said seriously.   
  
"Well, I don't think the M.L.E.S. really know how to handle this. Perhaps it's time for us to take matters into our own hands." He looked hopefully at Hermione, and saw from her expression that she was torn between the desire to agree with him and her feeling that it was their duty to report the note to Priskett.  
  
At last she said, "Do you think we can get everyone out of this by ourselves?"  
  
Harry gave her a quick, affectionate look. "We've got out of tight situations before - you, me and Ron."  
  
"Yes..." Hermione paused for a moment, her face turned away from him. "Goodness knows what's happened to Ron. And there are other people's lives in danger, not just ours. Those two little girls - I'd never forgive myself if we did something to put them in more danger than they're already in."  
  
"I know."   
  
"You think our only chance might be to try to get into wherever they are holding them, don't you?"  
  
"Yes. And we shouldn't tell the Ministry first, in case they try to stop us from going and handing ourselves over - you know they would. But we can leave them details about where we've gone." Harry checked the note again. "Where is Carn Brea, anyway?"  
  
"It's the big hill you can see in the distance over that way - with the tall stone sticking up on top of it. The carn is that lot of stones near the big one."  
  
"Midnight...that's about two hours to wait."  
  
"D'you think we can get out of the cottage without any of the others realising what we're up to?" Hermione said anxiously.  
  
Harry tutted at her. "With your brains and our combined talents? We've done harder things before."  
  
Harry was right. At a quarter to twelve, he and Hermione were hurrying out of the ring of trees and setting off towards the hill that was Carn Brea. They hoped their absence would not be noticed now until the morning, when the agents would find the explanatory note Harry had left.   
  
They had agreed to walk most of the way instead of Apparating, not wanting to attract attention too soon by using obvious magic. As they walked across the grass, the mist which still hung in the air was parting occasionally to give glimpses of the moon. It was almost a full moon - Harry thought for a moment of Remus Lupin, wondering how he coped at Hogwarts these days - pretty well, by all accounts.  
  
The moonlight vanished completely in the mist and darkness, however, as they reached the foot of the hill and began to climb. The night around them was growing increasingly black, although a few distant lights still twinkled over towards Redruth. The gorse bushes were just dark shadows on either side of them as they stumbled across the rough grass, and they had to walk carefully to avoid tripping into the rabbit holes which pitted the ground.   
  
Harry and Hermione hardly spoke as they climbed, concentrating on keeping their footing. As they neared the top, they could see the dark mass of the carn's stones looming above them. The largest stump of granite, visible for miles around in the daytime, was now just a tall black shadow in front of them.   
  
There was a natural hollow in front of the carn, a sheltered grassy space. Looking around, and seeing no one nearby, Hermione sat down to rest on the grass, while Harry leaned against a nearby horizontal slab of granite, glancing from side to side into the darkness. The air was chilly, and he remembered that in only a few days more it would be Hallowe'en.  
  
They waited in silence, listening. Harry didn't move, but he was alert for any noise or movement nearby, and he knew that Hermione was too.   
  
Minutes went past. Harry knew that midnight must have arrived by now. Was this a waste of time? Had the message just been intended to taunt them, lead them astray, get them no nearer to rescuing Ron and the others?  
  
Then he heard it...a curious grating noise. Suddenly, Harry jumped up as he realised the slab of stone he was leaning against had began to move from its place. He and Hermione stood shoulder to shoulder, watching warily, as the granite slab slid to one side, revealing a yawning black hole in the side of the hill. After the stone's movement stopped, there was a short silence. Then a voice spoke out of the darkness. Try as he might, Harry couldn't see the speaker. The voice was merely a hoarse whisper - it didn't sound like Malfoy, but it could have been anyone.  
  
"So. You are here. Good."  
  
"Yes, we're here," said Harry, his voice sounding loud in the stillness. "We've done what you asked. Where are the others?"   
  
"Come and see them," the whispering voice invited.  
  
"No," said Hermione firmly. "We'll come in, after you send them out. That was the agreement."  
  
There was a pause, and for a moment Harry was worried that she had made a false move. But then the voice spoke again.  
  
"Very well. Wait one moment." Harry and Hermione waited. Scuffling sounds came out of the darkness, and then...three figures emerged from the cavern, darker shadows against the dimness of the hillside.   
  
"Alex!" Hermione gasped, moving forwards and holding out her hands towards the tallest figure, a woman who was holding her head dazedly with one hand. Harry realised that this must be Ron's colleague, Alexandra. With her other hand she clasped the hand of one small girl. Another small girl followed them. Both children, as far as Harry and Hermione could make out in the darkness, looked as dazed as Alex did.  
  
No one else emerged from the hole in the hillside. Harry turned and realised that Hermione had been quickly checking over the three released prisoners. "They don't seem to be seriously injured - probably hungry and tired and confused."   
  
"Hermione Granger?" Alex certainly sounded confused. "What are you doing here? Where are we?"  
  
"No time to explain everything now," Harry interrupted. "See that group of trees down there? Can you take the children and go there. There's a house. Priskett's there, and some of your people. They'll take care of you."  
  
"Priskett's here?" Alex looked even more confused, but eventually she seemed to realise what she had to do. Taking the children's hands - neither of them had said a word yet - she began to hurry them down the hill, stumbling in fatigue, but heading in the right direction to find the cottage. As they watched this, Harry and Hermione heard the whispering voice again.   
  
"See? They are free. We shall not interfere with them again."  
  
"What about the others?" Harry asked loudly.   
  
"Yes," Hermione added. "Ivan, and Leander...and Ron."  
  
They heard a whispery chuckle. "I'm sorry. You will have to come and see them for yourselves. But I promise that Ivan and Leander will be freed when you are our guests instead."  
  
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. Harry knew what she was probably thinking. When Alex and the two children arrived at the cottage, the M.L.E.S. agents were going to come up here to find out what was happening - probably fairly soon. Harry didn't want to go into that dark place, but he would if he knew it was the best chance of saving Ron and the others, and he knew Hermione would feel the same. And, if he was going to go in, he couldn't think of anyone whose help he would rather have.  
  
"All right," Harry said. "We'll come." Exchanging another look with Hermione, he moved forward. The darkness closed around him as he moved into the earthy tunnel. Behind him, he heard Hermione's footsteps as she followed him. Then there came another sound...a grating rumble as the huge slab moved back into place, closing up the entrance...and trapping them inside the hillside.  
  
End of Part 5.   
  
AN: Carn Brea - genuine hill visible from my mum's house in Cornwall. Pronounced, Carn Bray. No secret passages up there though, to my knowledge!  
  
Cliffhangers; don't you just hate them?  
  
I've added a photo to my author profile!  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Ron is in a dangerous situation - could Harry and Hermione's arrival make things worse?  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: Ron's POV. You'll have to wait till part 7 to find out what's happened to the others...  
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 6.  
  
  
Ron didn't realise that he had dozed off until he woke up.   
  
When he did wake, opening his eyes made very little difference...there were no windows in this small subterranean chamber.   
  
For the hundredth time in the past few days, Ron went over the events of the night he and his squad had been captured. He was still mentally kicking himself for having allowed it to happen.   
  
The information they had been given had seemed so clear - several witnesses had sighted Malfoy in a nearby village since his escape. Ivan and Leander had been sent to check some sheds and deserted Muggle mining ruins near the looming hill, Carn Brea. They had failed to return. Ron had been on the point of alerting the Ministry to their disappearance, but he had waited just one more half-hour, hoping that they would be back soon, hoping that they were just making an extra-thorough search.   
  
While he, Alex and Bernard had waited anxiously, discussing what to do, they had received word that two little local girls had gone missing. Ron had wondered if Ivan and Leander had met the searchers and joined in the hunt for the two girls. He had set off with Alex and Bernard, and they had been poking around one of the ruined mine buildings. Bernard had gone out of sight behind a wall, and a moment later Ron and Alex had heard him shout out. Rushing to find him, they had been horrified to see him lying bleeding on the ground, unconscious, obviously the victim of a powerful curse. Realising the danger, Ron had spun round to scan the area, but too late - he had found himself held at wand-point by a tall - and alarmingly familiar - figure.  
  
"Snape!" he had gasped.   
  
A well-remembered sneer had spread across the beaky face of the man who had once been his Potions master. "Clumsy, Weasley, very clumsy. Really, I did not think the shining star of the M.L.E.S. would be so easily trapped."  
  
Looking very levelly down Snape's upraised wand, keeping still, Ron had tightened his fingers around his own wand, which had been frozen in his hand. He was fairly confident he knew more moves than Snape these days, and could beat him in a one-to-one combat. Snape had noticed the small movement.  
  
"Don't even think about it, Weasley. Look over there-" and he gestured with his head.   
  
Ron had had no intention of turning his back on Snape, but his eyes slid sideways towards Alex. She was lying face-down on the ground, not bleeding, like Bernard, but still motionless. A very big, tall, hooded figure was standing over her. The figure's bulk had reminded Ron of Malfoy's old henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle. But Gregory Goyle had been killed during Voldemort's last battle, and Vincent Crabbe had kept a very low profile since Voldemort's defeat. Could it be him? Ron remembered that Crabbe's name had figured on a list Priskett had shown him before Harry's wedding, of dubious wizards known to be in Devon or Cornwall. It could be him...  
  
"I'm sure you wouldn't leave your colleagues to their fate, Weasley," Snape had said next, sounding confident that he was right.   
  
"Are you planning to kill me?" Ron had said flatly, trying to think of possible ways to tackle Snape and his massive accomplice. He could disarm Snape - but even Crabbe - if it was Crabbe, and not someone more efficient - might have time to curse Alex - and what about Bernard? Was he even alive?  
  
Amusement flickered across Snape's face, slightly more lined and with more grey in the greasy hair which framed it than Ron remembered. "Kill you? Oh no, Weasley. You will be far more useful to me alive - having you here will be my guarantee that the famous Harry Potter and the loyal Miss Granger will surely follow."  
  
It was then that he had muttered a few soft words, his wand still pointed at Ron, and Ron had been plunged into a blackness which had only ended when he had awoken for the first time in the cell in which he now lay, propped up against one of the rough stone walls.  
  
Looking round the chamber on the night of his capture, Ron had quickly guessed that he was probably in one of the old mine workings, and wondered how far the network of chambers and tunnels stretched beneath the ground. Fighting off a thumping headache, his thoughts had quickly turned to his team. He had shouted, but no one answered. He didn't even know if the rest of his squad were being held nearby. He didn't know if Alex and Bernard had been seriously injured when they were captured. There were strong enchantments on the door, and he couldn't Apparate through the rock walls without his wand, so all he could do was wait.  
  
At intervals, water and some unappetising food had appeared on the cell's floor, presumably conjured there by Snape or his accomplice. As the long hours in the darkness had passed, Ron had had plenty of thinking to do, and his thoughts were not cheerful. After all his M.L.E.S. adventures, he couldn't believe he had allowed himself to have been trapped in this situation. His only excuse was that worrying about Ivan and Leander's disappearance had made him careless when searching the buildings. And maybe - well, maybe he hadn't been concentrating completely on the search for Malfoy in the first place. Part of his mind had still been mulling over his brief visit to Hogsmeade, and wondering what might have happened between himself and Hermione if he had not had to leave so suddenly. There had been plenty of time in the dark to relive their last conversation in his head.  
  
What on earth was Snape up to? This thought kept breaking through Ron's reverie. Snape had been living quietly and privately somewhere since leaving Hogwarts. As far as anyone knew, he had been running a small business as an apothecary, brewing potions. He wasn't wanted for anything by the Ministry - indeed, some of his actions in the struggle against Voldemort had been admirable, though others had been more questionable, and some people still mistrusted him. What, Ron puzzled, could ever have prompted Snape to leave his quiet life and take such drastic action? Attacking M.L.E.S. agents - holding them prisoner - these were crimes which could lead to a long sentence in Azkaban. What could be worth such a risk? Was Snape in league with the missing Malfoy, and if so, why? Ron had suspected that Malfoy might have been buying potions from Snape, but that wasn't a crime...  
  
His thoughts circling round and round, Ron had shaken his head and settled down again to wait until Snape decided to explain to him why he was here. He hadn't liked the last words Snape had said to him..."You will be far more useful to me alive - having you here will be my guarantee that the famous Harry Potter and the loyal Miss Granger will surely follow."   
  
Ron knew that Snape had always hated Harry, but why, after eight years, would he suddenly decide to act against him? It didn't make sense to Ron. Fervently, he hoped that Harry and Hermione would not come anywhere near this place. He knew his squad would be searched for by the M.L.E.S., and that Harry, Ginny and Hermione would all be worried about him, but surely Priskett wouldn't let any of them come down here?  
  
Just how worried would Hermione be, he wondered...and, at that moment, there was a new sound, and Ron looked up sharply. Snape had Apparated into the cell, wand in hand. Turning, he spoke a few words to reinforce the charms on the door, before gazing down mockingly at Ron. The light which glowed at the end of his wand lit up the malicious expression on his face. Ron deliberately stayed still, trying to look unpeturbed as he sat with his back to the wall. He wasn't going to give Snape the satisfaction of jumping up or looking alarmed. And losing his temper, Ron knew, would be a big mistake.  
  
"Ah, Weasley. I hope you are enjoying my hospitality."  
  
"Get to the point, Snape. What's all this about?"  
  
"I thought I'd made that clear," said Snape, lifting an eyebrow. "You are merely the bait, Weasley, to ensure that Potter comes here. And if Granger comes too, so much the better."  
  
"Why should they come?" Ron said. "This is a Ministry matter. It's the M.L.E.S. who'll come looking for us. And where are my squad, anyway?"  
  
Snape ignored the last question. There was satisfaction on his face, still lit by the flickering light from the wand. "Ah, but you are unaware of recent developments. The Ministry were very alarmed indeed when your friend Bernard was found in a field -"  
  
"Is he dead?" Ron interrupted, quickly.  
  
"No, no, I feel sure he will recover...one day. However. A communication has been sent which has made it clear that I have hostage the rest of your squad - oh, and two children, I thought they would give the Ministry some extra encouragement to comply with my demands -"  
  
"What demands?" Ron was still trying to keep his voice level.  
  
"Oh, my message telling them that I am quite willing to release all my captives - except you, of course - in exchange for Potter and Granger."  
  
Ron laughed, shortly. "They're never going to agree with that. You're wasting your time."  
  
"Oh? I think not. I received a message a short while ago, telling me that the Chief Enforcement Officer and his personal staff left London to come here a few hours ago - and that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger accompanied them."   
  
Ron tried not to let the alarm he felt show on his face. There was a pause, before Snape laughed softly. "I'll leave you to think about that." He Disapparated, and the cell was plunged into darkness once more.  
  
Alone again, Ron had worried over the possible reasons for these developments, and what they might bring, until he had finally dozed off. Now, awake again several hours later, he was worrying again, and thinking of ways he might overpower Snape and escape if Snape visited him again.   
  
He badly wanted to warn Harry and Hermione. Goodness knows they had been through enough dangerous situations in the past - some, a hundred times worse than this, during the struggle against Voldemort - but he did not want any of them getting killed unnecessarily for some twisted plan of Snape's.   
  
Most of all, he did not want to be even partially the cause of Harry going through hell again. He knew, as much as anyone other than Harry himself could, what Harry had been through during that fight against Voldemort. Until he was eighteen years old, Harry's life had been dominated by the struggle against Voldemort, and some of the battles he had fought, young as he had been, had been terrible ones. Ron and Hermione had both understood just how much the struggle had drained Harry - drained him of joy, and happiness, and peace. After the victory had been won, Ron had completely understood Harry's reasons for turning his back on Enforcement and choosing Quidditch. He had watched his friend begin to heal. Time had passed, and Ron had rejoiced as much as anyone else to see Harry happy, and now, married and settled, with the hope of a family and a peaceful future. Even then, the business with Malfoy before the wedding had rippled that peace. Ron remembered Ginny telling him about Harry's nightmares. Facing a vengeful Snape - bent on God-knows-what - was the last thing Harry needed.   
  
Ginny must be frantic with worry, Ron thought - her brother missing and Harry travelling to find him.   
  
And Hermione...Worried as he was, Ron couldn't help feeling slightly hopeful. She had come with Harry in response to the message. It was just like her, of course. If Priskett had appealed to her to help find the squad, she wouldn't have been able to say no - Ron knew that. But...what did she feel about him being missing? Was she worried about the fate of an old friend, or did she feel more? Ron would dearly have loved to know the answer.   
  
He gazed into the darkness, and tried to picture how she had looked, dancing with him at Harry's wedding, laughing at his niece Eliza, or fastening the flower into his buttonhole. Then he pictured her saying goodnight to him on Saturday, at Hogwarts.   
  
He really wished he had told her he still loved her that night, while he had the chance. He wondered if he would ever have the chance again.  
  
End of Part 6.  
  
Part 7 coming soon, I hope. Warning: all is not as it seems!  



	7. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Harry and Hermione walk into danger as they try to find Ron...but things are not as they seem...  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: Harry's POV. It's Hermione's turn really, but I've changed the sequence for important plot reasons! I think there will be probably be two more parts after this - 9 parts altogether. This is a long part, to make up for the last couple of parts being quite short!  
  
Goblet of Fire spoilers - no plot spoilers in this part, but a couple of spells mentioned in GoF are used. And there may be spoilers in part 8.  
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 7  
  
When the rock had closed behind them, shutting them into the hillside, Harry and Hermione had been plunged into total blackness. Harry felt as though every nerve in his body was alert for danger, and he knew that beside him Hermione was just as tense. He gripped his wand tightly in his hand. There was a long silence, before the whispering voice spoke just one word.  
  
"Follow."  
  
As the voice spoke, a tiny yellow light sprang into existence inside the dark tunnel. It flickered and bobbed in the air about ten metres ahead of them - not bright enough to light up the floor or show the person who held it, just bright enough to see and follow. As the light began to move away from them, Harry and Hermione walked carefully after it, shuffling at each step with their feet to check the unseen ground for holes and rocks. Harry also walked with one hand raised above his head, feeling the ceiling a few inches above him, trying not to hit his head on the earthen roof.  
  
"I think this might be an old mine working," Hermione murmured in his ear. "There are old mines round here, I know. Priskett was talking about searching them."  
  
Harry nodded, then remembered she couldn't see him and said, "Yeah. Could be."  
  
The light was still bobbing ahead, leading them on, and disappearing once or twice for a few seconds as they turned corners. They were definitely walking down a gradual downhill slope, Harry realised. They must be travelling down through Carn Brea inside the hill. He wondered which direction they were heading in - towards the woods, or towards the coast?  
  
Hermione must have been thinking along the same lines, because a moment later Harry heard her whisper to her wand, "Lumos!" and then "Point me!" He knew she was using the Four-Point directional spell to make her wand point north - he had been about to do the same thing himself. The light from the end of her wand lit up her face eerily in the darkness, and he could see the wand laid flat on her hand, pointing almost straight ahead. She was frowning slightly. "We're going north."  
  
"Towards the sea?" Harry asked.   
  
Hermione nodded, and then extinguished the light from her wand, because the glow of it was making it very hard to see the tiny light ahead of them. There was silence as they continued to walk.   
  
"We've come a long way," Harry muttered, eventually. "Alex and the Carlyon girls should be at the cottage by now."  
  
"Yes. I know we're just doing what they - he - whoever - wants by coming here, but -"  
  
"I'd rather be here than sitting in the cottage with Priskett and the rest," Harry finished. "At least it feels as though we're doing something."  
  
Hermione made a sound of agreement, which turned into a squawk of dismay as she stumbled on some unexpected steps going down. Harry grabbed her just in time to avoid disaster, and they reached the bottom of the short flight safely, though shakily. It was only as Harry straightened up at the bottom of the steps that he realised the light which had been guiding them had vanished completely. They stopped.  
  
"Lumos!" Harry said, and this time it was from his wand that brightness emerged to light up their surroundings. They were still standing in a narrow passage, with sides of rock and earth, but the passage was now blocked by a door ahead of them, and there was another sturdy wooden door to their right. There was no sign of the person with the whispering voice, whoever they had been.  
  
"Hullo?" Hermione said enquiringly, lighting her own wand too. "Is there anybody there?"  
  
There was a pause, and then Harry and Hermione both jumped slightly as a voice answered. It was not the whispering voice, but quite a different one - hoarse, and anxious.  
  
"Who's there?" It was a man's voice, one that Harry did not recognise, but Hermione frowned, as if it seemed vaguely familiar.  
  
"Ivan? Is that you?"  
  
There was another short pause, before the voice came again, sounding surprised. "Yes...is that...Hermione Granger?"  
  
"Yes, I'm here," Hermione had moved to stand against the door, lit by the flickering light from her wand, "and Harry's here too - Harry Potter. Are Ron and Leander with you?"  
  
"Leander's here," Ivan answered, "although he's not feeling too good - he got a bang on the head when they captured us - I think he's got a concussion. Ron's not here though - was he captured too?"  
  
Harry saw Hermione bite her lip before she answered. "You all disappeared at the same time. Wasn't Ron with you?"  
  
"No...Leander and I were checking out some ruined mine buildings, looking for Malfoy - or those two little girls we heard had disappeared. We shouldn't have let ourselves get jumped, but we did. Next thing we knew, we woke up here. Ron and Alex were still back at our base. They must have gone looking for us after that."  
  
Harry looked around cautiously while Ivan and Hermione conducted their whispered conversation. He was mystified - where had their mysterious guide gone? Was he listening to them now? And what was the purpose of leading them here?  
  
Hermione had been giving Ivan a quick recap of what had happened. "Alex and the two girls must have got to Priskett by now. The M.L.E.S. will know roughly where to look for us."  
  
"Are you armed?" Ivan asked. "Can you get us out of here?"  
  
"We've got our wands, yes - and we'll have a go," Harry replied. "Get Leander away from the door, and stand clear yourself."   
  
Harry and Hermione waited, casting nervous glances up and down the passage. They heard shuffling noises from behind the door, and Ivan muttering to Leander. Finally, Ivan said, "OK - all clear."  
  
Harry saw Hermione hold her wand steady, and glance at him for a signal. He nodded, and they spoke together, their wands aimed at the lock on the door.  
  
"Alohomora!" There was a bang as the spell, doubled in force, hit the door. The hinges burst and the heavy wooden slab fell inwards. Clouds of dust rose, and Harry tried to wave them aside to see better as he lit his wand again and peered into the small chamber. "Are you all right?"  
  
He could see two figures in the corner of the cell. Ivan, dark and stocky, had pulled his robes over Leander's face and was pressing both of them into the wall for safety. "Yes...we're fine."  
  
"Quick! Get out! Can he walk?" Hermione asked urgently, from behind Harry.  
  
In answer Leander, tall and fair, with dried blood caked on his forehead, unfolded himself and stood up gingerly. "I - I think so," he said uncertainly, but he swayed as he spoke, and put out a hand to lean against the stone wall.   
  
"He'll make it - I'll help him," said Ivan quickly, putting his arm round his colleague's shoulders.   
  
Harry looked up and down the passage again before deciding. "You'd better go back the way we came," he said. "You'll get to the end of the passage - there's a stone but you might be able to move it - if you can't you'll have to yell until Priskett's lot get up there and hear you."  
  
"Could you lend us a wand?" Ivan asked, as they struggled out of the room, stepping over the wreckage of the door. "We could blast the stone out, then, and summon help."  
  
Harry paused, then shook his head. "No. Sorry, but you'll have to manage without. I don't know what's up ahead of us - and I'd rather we were both armed."  
  
"Maybe you two shouldn't go on," Ivan said, frowning. "Come back with us - the C.E.O. can decide what we should do next -"  
  
"No," Hermione said, so firmly that it was clear it was going to be no use arguing with her. Her brown hair and her clothes were now covered in dust, but her eyes were very determined. "We're going on. Ron's still down here somewhere."  
  
Ivan looked at her, in the dim light, then nodded reluctantly. "All right. Can you just give me a light, then?"  
  
Harry nodded, pointed his wand at Ivan's free hand and said, "Fumos!" A handful of crackling flames, bright, but cool to the touch, appeared in Ivan's palm. Harry remembered the first time he had seen that spell worked - by his old teacher, Remus Lupin.   
  
"Thanks." Ivan turned, propping up Leander, who still seemed dazed, and began to walk slowly back up the passage towards the entrance.  
  
"It'll take them a while to get back, going uphill, and with Leander so groggy," Harry murmured, watching them go.  
  
"Yes." Hermione had turned, and was now looking at the other door which barred their way. "Harry, I don't like this. It's all wrong. Where's the man who brought us here? Why did he let us help Ivan and Leander, without stopping us?"  
  
Harry had been thinking about this. "I think he doesn't care whether he's got them or not - I think it's more important that we're here. Don't forget he wanted to swap us for them. It's you and me, and Ron, that he wants."  
  
"Quite right," said the whispering voice suddenly, seemingly right next to them, and both Harry and Hermione stepped back in surprise and alarm. "They were merely pawns, and may as well be gone. I promised that they would be freed, when you were my guests."   
  
"Let us see you," said Harry, looking around at the apparently empty space around them.  
  
"Let us see Ron, too," said Hermione firmly. "We don't even know if he's really here."  
  
"Always such a sceptic, weren't you, Granger?" said the voice, sounding faintly amused. "Always wanting proof. Don't worry - Weasley's here. A little the worse for wear, and not very happy, I'm afraid, but certainly here."  
  
"Then show us," Hermione demanded, and Harry admired the steadiness of her voice.  
  
"With pleasure."   
  
Harry and Hermione both looked round quickly as a steady grating, rumbling noise began next to them. The heavy wooden door which blocked the passage ahead was slowly opening...to reveal a short flight of steps leading upwards. Harry and Hermione exchanged glances and then, without saying a word, began to climb, accompanied, Harry presumed, by their unseen captor. The wooden door slammed firmly back into place behind them.   
  
At the top of the steps the passage forked into three. One passageway, as their lit wands showed, led off round a corner to the left. Another curved round out of sight to the right. The third passageway continued straight ahead for only a few metres before being blocked by yet another door.   
  
"Where do we go next?" Harry asked in a low voice, as they paused at the fork in the passageways.  
  
"Allow me," said the unseen voice again, sounding almost amused. Again, there was a rumble and the door ahead of them swung slowly open.   
  
Harry and Hermione walked slowly forward towards the entrance. Harry lifted his wand, and shone the light through the doorway. He saw another small chamber, windowless and musty-smelling. It was almost empty, but there was one person inside, sitting propped against the far wall, blinking and shielding his eyes from the light with his hand as if he had just awoken.   
  
"Ron!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed the name at the same moment. Harry started towards his friend, then paused in the doorway and looked around for danger, letting Hermione brush past him as she crossed the cell and knelt down beside Ron.   
  
"Are you all right?" she demanded.  
  
Ron blinked again as he took his hand away from his eyes. "Hermione?" At that moment he was looking at her, Harry thought, as though she was some sort of miracle.   
  
"Are you all right?" Hermione repeated, frowning anxiously. Harry, glancing at Ron quickly before looking around again, thought his friend looked better than Ivan, Leander or Alex had. He looked pale and tired, his robes were dirty and there was gingery stubble on his face, but he seemed to be otherwise unhurt.   
  
"Yeah - I'm fine -" Ron suddenly seemed to wake up properly and become alert. He jumped to his feet. "What are you two doing here? You shouldn't have come! That's what he wanted - to get you here -"  
  
"Who? Who is it?" Hermione demanded, also getting to her feet.   
  
"Snape!" said Ron, joining Harry, who was still blocking the doorway.   
  
"Snape?" repeated Harry, surprised. Deep inside, he had been convinced that Malfoy was behind all this.  
  
"Indeed, Potter," said the voice behind him - no longer whispering, but cold and cutting. Harry turned to look in the same direction in which Ron and Hermione were already staring. Behind him stood the tall, hook-nosed figure of Severus Snape. And behind Snape stood a hulking, hooded figure who reminded Harry irresistibly of Crabbe.   
  
There was a brief pause while the five of them stood looking at each other in the semi-darkness. Then Snape, Harry and Hermione all said the same word at the same moment.  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
There was a loud bang, and the walls of the tunnel seemed to shake as soil and dust showered from the roof. Ron ducked as Snape's wand flew past his head and bounced off the wall behind him. Harry and Hermione's joint spell had proved stronger than Snape's. Harry's wand was jerked out of his hand, but he managed to catch it again before it hit the floor.   
  
Snape took two steps back, and reached out a hand to his massive accomplice. "Wand!" he snapped, and the big man fumbled in his robes, clearly searching for his own.  
  
"Oh no, you don't," said Ron, who had now picked up Snape's wand and was holding it in front of him as he moved forward, shoulder to shoulder with Harry. "Stay right there," he added, holding the big man at wand-point. "Or do I have to use a full Body-Bind?"  
  
The hooded man froze.   
  
"Put your hands up where we can see them," Harry added, covering both Snape and his accomplice with his own wand.   
  
Hermione moved forward past Harry and Ron, stopping only a few paces from Snape. "What on earth were you thinking?" she asked. "Surely you didn't expect to hold all three of us prisoner by yourself? You haven't been in trouble with the Ministry, why do this now?"  
  
Snape's face was twisted with fury. "Shut up, Granger!" he spat. "You know nothing about my plans - nothing!"  
  
"Is Malfoy involved in this?" Harry asked.  
  
"How did you kn-" blurted the big, hooded man, before a quick gesture from Snape silenced him.   
  
"Crabbe! I thought it looked like you," Harry exclaimed. Hermione, still with her wand pointed at him, took a few steps forward and pulled Crabbe's hood down. He blinked at them resentfully, but made no move to stop her, his piggy eyes fixed on the tip of her wand.   
  
"So Malfoy is involved," said Hermione, picking up on Crabbe's mistake. "How?"  
  
"Maybe not the way we thought," said Ron, sounding puzzled. Harry turned, and saw his friend carefully examining the wand he held. "I've seen this wand before. This is *Malfoy's* wand."  
  
"How come? Why would Snape have Malfoy's wand?" said Harry.  
  
"Where's Malfoy?" Ron asked Snape tersely. "You must know the whole of the Ministry's been looking for him since he escaped."  
  
Snape had retreated a few paces, backing away from the wands which were still pointed at him. His eyes were darting from side to side, as though looking for a way to escape. "I'm not here to do the Ministry's work, Weasley," he snapped. "I have my own concerns."  
  
Crabbe was starting to look agitated, shifting from one foot to the other. Harry noticed him looking at his watch in an anxious way.   
  
With faint surprise, Harry remembered that it was the middle of the night. Down here in the darkness, it was hard to remember if it was night or day outside. He wondered if the Ministry wizards would be here soon to help arrest Snape and Crabbe - if there were only the two of them, it shouldn't be too difficult...now they had found Ron, Harry found himself relaxing...he had no idea why Snape had felt compelled to get them here, when he must have known he would be outnumbered...or where Draco Malfoy was, but -  
  
BANG! Harry was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of a distant explosion. More soil and rock chippings showered down on them from the roof, and they all put up hands to shield their faces.   
  
BANG! Another explosion, this time louder, rocked the tunnel.   
  
Harry exchanged a quick look with Ron. "D'you think Priskett's lot are trying to get in?"  
  
"Could be...but if they don't watch it, they're going to bring this roof down," said Ron.  
  
They all looked anxious, but Crabbe looked absolutely panic-stricken. He was glancing over his shoulder to where the left-hand tunnel curved away, as if he would like nothing better than to take to his heels and run.  
  
BANG! A third explosion, louder than even the third two, ripped through the tunnel. A great boom of sound and warm air rushed down the passage towards them. And then there was a crack, as above them, the timbers which reinforced the ceiling of the old mine tunnel finally gave way.  
  
"GET DOWN!" Harry shouted, suddenly realising the danger they were in. Bigger and bigger pieces of rock and earth and wood were cascading down on to them, and there was a rumbling sound getting louder and louder. Harry flung himself to the floor, trying to keep his wand pointed at Snape. Hermione and Ron also dived for cover, and Crabbe turned and ran away along the left hand tunnel. Snape turned to follow him.  
  
"Stupefy!" Harry and Hermione shouted together, and Snape was felled in his tracks. Harry saw him fall, stunned, before the rocks and stones which rained down made him cover his face and curl up protectively. All around them objects were falling as the roof collapsed and the tunnel caved in around them. Harry felt occasional jabs of pain as stones struck his back and legs. The long, roaring, rumbling noise seemed to go on for hours, though it could only have been a matter of minutes, and a choking dust filled the air. Harry tried to breathe through a fold in his robes to filter the air.   
  
Finally, the noise stopped. The stones and dust gradually ceased to fall. But it was a good three minutes after that before Harry dared to move, afraid that by moving he might start off another fall of rocks.   
  
"Ron? Hermione?" he said, into the sudden silence. "Are you OK?"  
  
There was a pause, while Harry experimented, trying to move his arms and legs, and was relieved to find that although there was a pile of soil and stones weighing his legs down, his limbs all seemed to be in working order. He was very bruised, but nothing seemed to be broken, even his glasses, although he had to rub them to get some of the grime off them.  
  
He was just about to speak again when he heard more stones being gingerly moved, and Ron's voice saying, "Yeah...I'm all right - Hermione, where are you?"  
  
"I'm here," she said, sounding shaken. Her voice was coming from somewhere to Harry's right, but when he put out a hand, he could only feel bits of wood and rock. Luckily, his wand had been cushioned from the rockfall by his body. In the darkness, Harry fumbled it into his hand and murmured, "Lumos!"  
  
The light from his wand illuminated a scene of total chaos. Harry saw a huge pile of debris blocking the door through which they had come. The top of the door was just visible. More debris lay all around. One pile of soil and rock ahead of Harry was shifting as Ron dug his way out of it. To his right, Harry could see a fold of Hermione's robes sticking out of another heap of stones and soil.   
  
Ron emerged, lighting the wand he held - Malfoy's wand. He was filthy - his face a mask of dust and dirt, the red of his hair completely dulled by earth. Harry realised that he must look just as bad himself.   
  
"Well, that was fun," said Ron dryly, now on his hands and knees. There was no longer room to stand upright. "Hermione?"  
  
"Can't move this door," she said, breathlessly, and Harry realised that she was partially trapped by what had been the door to Ron's cell. Harry and Ron both crawled across to her, and started shifting the rocks until they could see Hermione's grimy face and heave the wooden door off her legs.   
  
"Thanks." She was spluttering and trying to spit out grit from her mouth.  
  
"Did you break anything when that door landed on you?" asked Harry, concerned.  
  
"Amazingly, apparently not," said Hermione, flexing her legs, "but I'm going to have some really spectacular bruises. Are you both all right? Ron, you're bleeding."  
  
"I think I just got nicked by a flying stone," said Ron, putting his hand up to his ear, and bringing it away smeared with blood. "I'll live."   
  
"What happened to Snape? Did we get him with our stunners?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, I saw him go down just before the roof fell in," said Harry, pointing to a large pile of rocks. "He must be under there somewhere. Crabbe got away though, I think."   
  
"Well, if it was Priskett's lot who blasted their way in and brought the roof down on us, it's going to be difficult for them to get through to us now," said Ron, looking dubiously at the blocked door.   
  
"The other way's not quite so bad," said Hermione, looking thoughtfully at the left-hand tunnel, down which Crabbe had gone. "We could dig our way out through there."  
  
"We don't know where we'd end up," said Harry, "but I suppose it would be better than just staying here and hoping someone comes for us. I can hardly breathe with all this dust flying about."  
  
"We can't just leave Snape here," said Ron regretfully, his Enforcer's conscience troubling him. "We'll have to take him with us. We can keep him subdued."  
  
"We'll have to dig him out first."  
  
Snape turned out to be buried more deeply beneath the rubble of the rockfall than any of them had been. It took them quite a while to move the stones and earth away from the place where he had fallen.   
  
"He's not dead, is he?" said Ron, when at last they had cleared most of the debris, and could see Snape's face, his jaw slack and his eyes closed.  
  
"No, he's breathing," Hermione said, placing a hand on Snape's chest. "What shall we use - Mobilicorpus?"  
  
"Yeah, but horizontally." Working together, still coughing as they breathed in dust, they raised Snape's body from the ground and he floated, suspended in mid-air a few inches from the rocks which littered the floor. It took another fifteen minutes or so to clear the left-hand passage enough for them to scramble through the hole and propel Snape forward through it. This tunnel was a little clearer, but there were still plenty of obstacles to move, and it was slow going, mostly on hands and knees, shifting handfuls of earth or larger rocks. They did not dare to blast many blockages out of the tunnel with their wands, afraid of causing another collapse. None of them bothered too much about Snape's body banging into obstacles.  
  
Harry wondered what Ginny would think if she could see them now. She must be worried sick about them. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it was a long, slow, hot journey, lit only by the flicker of three wands, listening to the sounds of their own panting breath and the clatter of stones, before he heard Ron draw in his breath sharply.  
  
"Look - there, ahead! Isn't that a light?"  
  
"Yeah - I think so." Harry screwed up his eyes, peering through his glasses, which were still rather dirty. Up ahead of them, the tunnel walls were definitely brightening, and a pale glow was visible. It looked like daylight. He could feel a faint breath of cooler air on his face, too, and hear a curious sound. "What's that noise? Sort of sshhing sound."  
  
"I think it's the sea," said Hermione. "We must have come all the way underground to the coast."  
  
"There must be a way out here," said Ron, sounding more cheerful. "Come on."  
  
The roof of this part of the tunnel had not been much affected by the rockfall, and they were able to make faster progress, Snape's body gliding in front of them. The light grew brighter and brighter, and the tunnel roof was finally high enough for them to walk instead of crawling.   
  
As it got lighter, Harry could see his companions more clearly. Ron looked a mess - blood and dirt mingling on the side of his face. Hermione looked exhausted, but was trudging on determinedly. Snape - Harry glanced down at his unconscious face. Then he looked again.  
  
"Stop a minute!" he said sharply. Ron and Hermione both halted, startled.   
  
"What's the matter?"  
  
Harry pointed with his wand. "Look - look at him!"  
  
Ron and Hermione followed Harry's gaze. They both gasped as they looked at Snape's face. It was still filthy and his eyes were still closed, but the face itself...was changing. Before their amazed eyes, a transformation was taking place...  
  
End of Part 7  
  
Part 8 will be up Very Soon. 


	8. Default Chapter Title

Summary: More than one truth is uncovered...who is "Snape"? And does Hermione know her own feelings at last?  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: Hermione's POV. Sorry, this part would have been up sooner, but I've had horrible 'flu and felt much too miserable to write! Sneezing all over the keyboard is not pleasant... Anyway, one more part to go, after this.  
  
Warning - a few little Goblet of Fire spoilers, possibly.   
  
Another warning - the end of this part is slushier than I normally let myself write!   
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 8  
  
The dawn light seeped into the passageway as Hermione, Ron and Harry all stared, transfixed, at the unconscious body of their captive. It was no longer the body of Severus Snape. As the minutes passed, the lined face was becoming smoother. The greying hair was turning fairer. The hooked nose was shrinking. The face and form was becoming unmistakably that of...Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed under his breath. He looked staggered.  
  
"He must have used Polyjuice Potion, to turn himself into Snape," Hermione realised. She glanced quickly at Harry, who was looking rather grim, and wondered if he was remembering another similar transformation he had once seen and described to them.  
  
"I might have guessed...if Crouch could do it, why not Malfoy?" Harry said at last.   
  
"Well, the C.E.O. will be pleased that we've found Malfoy," said Ron, with a shrug. "He is a wanted criminal, after all. What a nutter. First he kidnaps you, Harry, then he grabs my whole squad! I'll have a few words to say to him when he wakes up."  
  
"I wonder where the real Snape is?" Hermione mused, looking at Malfoy's face.   
  
As they stood still, they could hear the sound of the sea more loudly. Hermione could smell the salty air, and hear some gulls screeching. "Let's get out of here," she said. "We ought to get in touch with Priskett and the others - they may still be trying to get into the blocked tunnel from the other end."  
  
Ron and Harry nodded, and they trudged on along the passage towards the circle of daylight, propelling Malfoy along in front of them. In a few more minutes, they could see the thin line of the horizon where the brightening sky met the sea.   
  
They emerged from the tunnel on to a rocky ledge, some fifteen feet above the water. Below them, the rocks of the cliff face dropped away. The fresh air blowing on their grimy faces was very welcome after the hot, dusty tunnel.  
  
Harry pointed. "Look - that must be the way they get out. Those steps - at low tide, you must be able to go down them to the bottom and then get back up to the cliff path on the other side of that big rock."  
  
"Yeah, there's only one problem with that, Harry," said Ron, gazing down the cliff face. "It's high tide, and the steps are underwater."  
  
Hermione looked around in different directions, searching for another way of getting up to the cliff path - they could Apparate, of course, but taking Malfoy with them might present a problem. Something caught her eye. "Look - what's that down there?"  
  
"Where?" They peered down the cliff face in the still dim light. A little way below them, on a rock just above the water level, they saw a large crumpled heap.   
  
"That looks like Crabbe," said Harry. "He didn't get very far then."  
  
"Probably he came charging out of the tunnel in a panic, trying to get away, and fell down the cliff," said Hermione, already trying to slide over the ledge and lower herself to the rock below, in an effort to get nearer to the fallen Crabbe.  
  
"Careful," said Ron, and she felt him grasp her upper arm. "Don't you become a casualty too."  
  
"I'm OK," said Hermione, but she was grateful for the reassurance of his grasp as she searched for a footing on the rocks below. "All right, I'm down." She worked her way towards Crabbe across the rocks. He started to stir and groan as she approached.   
  
"Help me!"  
  
"Are you hurt?" Hermione asked, stopping a few feet away from him. She patted her pocket to make sure her wand was still there - she didn't have a very high opinion of Crabbe's ability to do her any harm, but he was still an enemy.   
  
"My - leg," Crabbe grunted. "I think it's broken."  
  
Hermione crouched down to have a look. Crabbe was right. His leg was definitely at an unnatural angle. She turned towards Harry and Ron, who were both waiting on the upper ledge with Malfoy, looking anxious. "He's broken his leg. We'll have to get help for him too - I can strap him up, but he really needs a trained mediwizard."  
  
"Hang on," said Ron. Hermione waited, and reflected that Ron looked as if he could do with the attentions of a mediwizard himself - in the gathering daylight his face looked worse than ever, a mask of dirt and blood. He had raised his wand again, and pointing it said loudly, "Accio enforcius!" A shower of gold sparks rose high into the air.  
  
"What does that do?" Harry asked, watching the sparks rise.  
  
"It's an Enforcer's method of summoning help," said Ron. "Tells any M.L.E.S. agents in the vicinity that you need backup." As he finished speaking, there was a series of popping sounds, as Priskett and twenty Enforcers Apparated on the cliff path above them, on the ledge and on the rocks.  
  
"Hermione - Harry! You're safe! We thought - but never mind. Ron, is that you? You look terrible. What happened? And who are these people?"  
  
"It's a long story," said Ron, grinning through his layers of dirt.   
  
"Help me!" Crabbe moaned again, becoming aware of the extra people appearing on the rocks around him.  
  
"Shut up, Crabbe," Hermione told him, with uncharacteristic ferocity, as she become more aware of the aching bruises which covered her own legs. "We'll help you - but you'll have a lot of explaining to do."  
  
She sat beside the grumbling Crabbe on the rock and waited while Priskett, Ron and the other M.L.E.S. agents conferred with each other about what to do first. Harry was still watching Malfoy, who was still unconscious. Hermione looked away from them all, out to sea, and watched the waves rolling in and breaking gently at the foot of the rocks, and the morning light brightening. She was bruised, filthy, and tired, but, now that Malfoy had been apprehended and Ron had been found, she felt relieved. She should be happy, too, that the danger seemed to be over, and yet the thought of going straight back to teaching Transfiguration classes left her feeling oddly flat. Something was still missing. Hermione sighed.  
  
She looked up sharply, as there was a stir above her and Harry shouted a warning. Malfoy was waking up at last. Jerking his head upwards, he opened his eyes and looked around him in confusion...only to see a circle of hostile faces above him, and a ring of wands pointing firmly at him. Lifting his hands conciliatingly, Malfoy looked furious but resigned - even he knew when it was time to come quietly.  
  
The rest of that day was busy. Messages flew between Priskett and the M.L.E.S. headquarters. Malfoy and Crabbe were taken into custody and transported back to London, where Crabbe's broken leg was treated before he joined Malfoy in the high-security cells. Hermione, Ron, Harry and the rest of the M.L.E.S. agents Apparated back to the headquarters in London too. There, they found Alex, Ivan and Leander already waiting for them, looking much more like their old selves.   
  
"Alex!" Hermione walked towards her quickly as they crossed the large office where they had Apparated. "You made it back here! What happened to the little girls?"  
  
"The Carlyons? They're fine." Alex smiled at them reassuringly. "We got them back to their parents straight away - before Priskett and the others left to try to get you lot out of that hill."  
  
"How's your head?"  
  
"Much better. I didn't really know where I was - no idea how I managed to find Priskett at the cottage - but once I got to the mediwizards they sorted me out, and now I feel fine. You all look awful, though!"  
  
"Thanks for the compliment." Ron was looking rather anxiously at his team. "You made it out, then?"  
  
"Just about." Leander also looked much better. "We got to the exit on to the hill at about the same time that Priskett and the rest got to it from the other side. When they started blasting the rock away, we were nearly flattened in the explosion, but they did manage to get us out."  
  
"Only then, we heard the roof coming down in the rest of the tunnel," continued Ivan, "and we thought you lot might be goners. How *did* you get out, exactly?"  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged rueful glances. "Teamwork," said Ron, with a lopsided grin. "I'll tell you the gory details another time. Anyway, we're all here now. Except Bernard - I must go and check on him -"  
  
"You can do that tomorrow, Ron," said Priskett, bustling up to them. "You three need to go straight to the mediwizards to be checked out now - then get cleaned up. Better get some sleep, and we can finish taking statements and sorting this out later."  
  
"Yeah, I can't go back to Ginny looking like this," said Harry, looking down at his grimy robes. "She'd assume the worst!"   
  
At this point, white-robed mediwizards appeared and led Hermione, Ron and Harry away down long corridors towards the medical wing. When Hermione was taken into a small room, Alex came with her, still talking cheerfully about the reunion of the Carlyon family with their daughters.   
  
"Your students will be impressed to hear about your adventure, won't they?" she said to Hermione, as Hermione sat on the edge of a bed, being checked for injuries.   
  
"Mm."   
  
"Are you going back to Hogwarts tonight?"  
  
Hermione sighed. She felt drained of some of her usual energy. The thought of going back to Hogwarts immediately and having to retell the whole story to McGonagall, Lupin, Neville and numerous others depressed her. "I suppose so. I'd rather stay in London for a few days first, but my London flat is rented out now, so I'd better go back."  
  
"You could use my flat," Alex offered. "It's only ten minutes from here. I won't be there tonight - I'm going to my parents' house in Ealing - I want to reassure them I'm OK, after they heard that the whole squad was missing."  
  
"All right. Thanks." Hermione said gratefully.  
  
"I've got an enormous bath," Alex grinned back. "You can wallow in hot water and get really clean."  
  
Hermione felt her face break into the first real smile it had worn for several days. "Alex, that will be wonderful."  
  
When the mediwizards had pronounced her more or less unhurt, apart from bruising and a few grazes they had healed up, Hermione made her way back to Priskett's office with Alex. Harry and Ron were already there. Like her, they both looked cleaner, and Ron's cut ear had been healed up, but they both looked as though a real bath and a good night's sleep wouldn't go amiss. Harry told Hermione that he had already sent a brief message to Ginny, telling her that they were all right.   
  
"Well, it looks as if a potentially very nasty situation has been averted," Priskett pronounced, now sitting behind his desk. "Tomorrow, we will be questioning Malfoy and Crabbe thoroughly, and I hope we will get to the bottom of this. For one thing, we need to find out where the real Severus Snape is."  
  
"Will you need us to stay - Hermione and me?" asked Harry.  
  
"No, no, you go back to your wife, and reassure her," Priskett told him, with a fatherly air. "We will be needing to take fuller statements from you, and of course you will have to give evidence at the new trial, but you can go home now. No doubt Professor McGonagall will be glad to have Hermione back, too."  
  
"Actually, I'm going to stay in London for a few days - that is, if Professor McGonagall doesn't mind," said Hermione. "Alex is very kindly letting me have her flat." Without needing to look across the room, she could feel that Ron was looking at her. "So I could finish making my statement tomorrow, if you like," she told Priskett.  
  
"Fine, fine." Priskett looked pleased. "Now, off you all go."  
  
Outside Priskett's office, Harry turned to his friends. "I must get going."  
  
"Tell Ginny I'll come and see her soon," said Ron. "And that we're OK."  
  
"I'll tell her, but you know she'll want to see you with her own eyes, so come *soon*," Harry told him. "See you in a few days, 'Mione?"  
  
Hermione nodded, and stood watching as he Disapparated.   
  
"Ready?" asked Alex, who was waiting to take Hermione to her flat. "I'll just take you there, and then get a few things before I go to my parents' house - they'll be waiting for me."  
  
Hermione nodded, and was following Alex down the corridor when she heard Ron's voice behind her. "Hermione!"  
  
She turned, and looked up at Ron's still rather grimy face. He was standing rather awkwardly outside Priskett's office.  
  
"After you've cleaned up - if you're not too tired - would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" he said, in a rush.  
  
Hermione looked at the smear of dirt on his long nose, the rather anxious expression in his eyes, and the dusty red hair through which he was running his fingers nervously. Then she smiled.  
  
"All right. I'll meet you at the entrance to Diagon Alley at eight o'clock, is that OK?"  
  
He nodded quickly, relief spreading across his face, and Hermione turned away and hurried to catch up with Alex, who quirked a curious eyebrow, but said nothing.   
  
Alex had been right about the bath in her flat. It was enormous. Wallowing in hot foam, Hermione felt that one didn't really appreciate being clean until one had been trapped in a pitch-dark, dusty tunnel and covered with soil and grit. Scrubbing dirt from under her fingernails, she wondered fleetingly if Harry had told Ginny the whole story yet, and if Professor McGonagall had received her owl, asking for a few more days off. But mostly she thought about Ron. She wasn't sure of his motives in asking her to dinner, but she felt the same happiness she had felt when he had walked her back to Hogwarts after dinner at Broomstick Cottage. They had talked that night like old friends, and she had realised just how much she had missed having him to talk to, these last six years. She had thought, then, that she would be content just to have his friendship, but then he had disappeared in Cornwall, and she could remember the sick feeling she had had when he was reported missing.   
  
"But I would have been just as upset if any of my friends had gone missing," she told herself, as she towelled her hair dry.   
  
But, even as she thought that, Hermione could hear Harry's voice in her head. "Would you really? Come on, 'Mione. Be honest."  
  
Hermione paused for a moment, holding the towel still, and admitted to herself something she had been struggling to deny for quite a while - since Harry and Ginny's wedding, in fact. Despite all the arguments, despite the six years of estrangement, despite all the misery she'd felt and the efforts she'd made to create a new life for herself, just seeing Ron and dancing with him at the wedding had been enough to put her right back where she had started. She still loved him, whatever he felt about her. No wonder things hadn't worked out with Stephen - or anyone else - in the last six years. Closing her eyes, Hermione pictured Ron's face, as she had seen him in the flickering wand-light of the tunnel - filthy, bloodstained, anxious - digging her out from under the rockfall.   
  
It didn't matter how far away she went - if she went back to Hogwarts, if she didn't see him for another six years, she realised now that it wouldn't change anything. She would still feel as though there was an invisible thread binding them together. Which meant that she could either resign herself to a single life, knowing that she wouldn't find what she wanted in anyone else, or she could try to persuade Ron that they should give their relationship another go. It could work. But would he agree to try again?   
  
Alex's bedroom clock chimed the half-hour softly, and with a start Hermione woke from her daydream, and realised that she had better get dressed and get ready if she was going to be in Diagon Alley by eight.  
  
*******  
  
"I'll tell you one thing," said Ron, four hours later, as they reached the street where Alex lived. "I bet Crabbe confesses everything when he realises the game's up. He was never much good without Malfoy in the same room to give him instructions."  
  
"No. Well, if Malfoy still refuses to talk tomorrow, they probably will find out everything from Crabbe," Hermione agreed.   
  
The meal had gone well. As they chatted and ate, Hermione had been reminded of the night Ron had walked her back to Hogwarts - they had talked with the same freedom then. Tonight, they had talked about Hogwarts, about Harry and Ginny, about Malfoy and Crabbe and Snape and all the events of the last few days. With Hallowe'en next day, Diagon Alley was lively and bustling, and many other people were eating there. The one subject Hermione did not bring up was their relationship - it was just too public a place. Finally, she had suggested that they had better get some sleep before the statement-taking and interviews next day, and Ron had agreed, and offered to walk with her back to Alex's flat.   
  
"This is it," Hermione said, pausing at the door, and unlocking it with Alex's key.   
  
"OK." He paused, looking up at the outline of the building against the dark sky, and then said, "Well - I expect I'll see you at the office tomorrow, when you come in to make your statement."  
  
"Yes." Hermione watched him nod goodnight to her, turn, and walk two paces away before she said, "Ron - wait a minute -"  
  
"What?" he asked, turning quickly.   
  
Hermione looked down at her feet, not at him, and nerved herself to say, "I just wanted to say - well - I really enjoyed tonight, and it reminded me what good times we used to have before -" she hesitated before mentioning the taboo subject - "before Bill died, and we had that stupid argument. I - I did miss it - us - you know -" She trailed off, mentally kicking herself for being incoherent.  
  
"Yeah. I know," he said. He had his back to a Muggle street-light, so she couldn't see his face very well.   
  
"So - I was wondering - I thought - it would be nice if we could see each other more often - if you wanted to - catch up on - everything?"   
  
There was a long pause. So long that Hermione was worried she had blown it, and that he was trying to think of a polite way of telling her that he wasn't interested in reviving their relationship. Either that, or he hadn't realised what she wanted at all.   
  
"Um - so what do you think?" she said nervously, and looked up at last, to find that he had moved a lot closer, and was now looking down on her from only a foot away. She tilted her face up, and relief washed over her as she saw the expression in his eyes.  
  
"Oh, 'Mione," he said, in a hoarser voice than usual, and they were both lost as he bent his head and kissed her.   
  
It was strange, thought Hermione, when her brain cleared enough to think at all, wholly familiar, yet excitingly different. Without really realising it, she was pulling at his sleeve, trying to tow him further into the hallway, to stop him leaving. He came willingly, still kissing her. One of his girlfriends in the last six years, Hermione reflected, had really polished up his technique.  
  
When he finally lifted his face, they looked at each other for a long moment before, unexpectedly, they both started grinning at each other like idiots. "Oh, I missed you," he said breathlessly.  
  
"I missed you too," she said, wrapping him in a tight, warm hug, and whispering into his robes, "Don't ever let me go again."   
  
"I'll never let you go again," he promised her, and Hermione, her face buried in his neck, found that she just couldn't stop smiling.  
  
  
End of Part 8  
  
Not quite the end...In Part 9 - the last part - loose ends are tied up, the Snape/Malfoy connection is explained, and there may even be a happy ending.  
  
Please review - it makes me write faster! 


	9. Default Chapter Title

Summary: Malfoy finally stands trial, Snape is found, and questions are answered. The end of the Best Man series.  
  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.  
  
Author's Notes: See end of story.  
  
Goblet of Fire spoilers - Yes.  
  
  
The Best Man 2: The Search for Snape, Part 9 - final part!  
  
Ron had never enjoyed attending the Council of Magical Law. Giving evidence at trials was one of his least favourite parts of being an Enforcer. Sitting up on the highest bench on the right-hand side of Priskett made him feel uncomfortably exposed to the curious gaze of the wizarding public who were packed into the cavernous underground courtroom. There was hardly an empty seat in the place.   
  
On Ron's other side, Harry was looking pensively at the stone ceiling, while Alex, Ivan and Leander, further along the bench, were slumped in varying attitudes of boredom.   
  
It was the last day of the trial, and outside the building, above ground, it was a grey day in late November. Three chairs, with chains on their arms, stood in the middle of the courtroom, presently empty. They were waiting for the accused trio to be brought back into the courtroom for the start of the final day's proceedings.   
  
Everyone stirred suddenly, as there was a flurry of movement around the door in the corner. Then, the Azkaban guards marched briskly into the room, flanking the prisoners. Ron and Harry exchanged glances briefly, and Ron knew Harry was thinking about the Dementors who had used to guard Azkaban, before they had been removed from the task during the last battle against Voldemort, eight years earlier.   
  
The prisoners looked very much as they had done on every morning of the trial. Malfoy, brought in first and led to the central chair, still had a closed look of defiance on his pale face. His blond hair and moustache were rather lank and greasy now, but although his face was almost expressionless, Ron did not miss the look of hatred in Malfoy's grey eyes.   
  
The chains on the three chairs were fastening around the prisoners now. On Malfoy's right, big Vincent Crabbe was shaking with terror. He had gone completely to pieces during his questioning yesterday, admitting everything about his part in the plot. He had revealed, blubbering and trembling, how Malfoy had come to him after escaping from prison and persuaded him to help in seizing the Carlyon sisters and kidnapping Ron's squad of Enforcers.  
  
"He - he said if we had Weasley, Potter and Granger would come looking for him," Crabbe had muttered, not looking at Malfoy beside him. "Then he - he could get Potter's blood - he wanted to use it for a p-potion - no, I didn't know what sort of potion, honest...He told me he'd disguise himself as Snape so they wouldn't know it was him..."  
  
Looking at the jury's faces, Ron had known they were unimpressed with Crabbe, and indeed he was a pathetic figure. "He never had enough brain to think for himself, for good or bad," Harry had said dispassionately, after Crabbe's testimony.  
  
On Malfoy's left, Gilderoy Lockhart was sagging in his chair, a vague expression on his face. He, too, had been an unimpressive defendant when he had been questioned near the beginning of the trial about Harry's kidnapping on the eve of the wedding, back in the summer. He had told how he had met Malfoy in a pub, started drinking with him, and revealed to Malfoy how broke he was.   
  
"He said he'd pay me well if I helped him with a little job, well, I didn't think there could be that much harm in it, all we had to do was knock Potter on the head and take a bit of blood, I thought we'd just do a Memory Charm on him afterwards and return him safe and sound, Malfoy seemed to get a bit carried away, I thought, and it all turned rather nasty when the Ministry arrived -"   
  
Priskett had found it hard to get a word in edgeways when Lockhart had been testifying. The jury and the public had looked at Lockhart with a mixture of pity and horror on their faces - horror that someone who had once been an admired celebrity in the wizarding world was now on trial as an accomplice in a particularly nasty plot. Flabby and down-at-heel, Lockhart was much changed from the dapper celebrity he had once been. Ron remembered how upset his own mother had been on seeing the photos of Lockhart in the "Daily Prophet."  
  
The trial had been a long one because there had been so many witnesses to testify. Ron himself had given evidence - first about the abduction of Harry, and how he, Hermione and his squad had rescued him from the house at Fairmile Cross in time for the wedding, and secondly about his own kidnapping, and his time as a hostage in the dark underground cell, and the exhausting escape through the collapsed tunnels.  
  
Ivan, Leander and Alex had all given evidence, and so, of course, had Harry and Hermione. Hermione was not in court today. Her evidence having been given already, she wasn't really needed, and she had said that she felt she really ought not to miss any more teaching days at Hogwarts. Ron hadn't seen her since Sunday - his flatmate being away, Hermione had spent the weekend in London with him - and was missing her. When she had kissed him goodbye on Sunday night she had wished him luck for the final few days of the trial. "Not that you'll need it," she had said. "There's no way they can find him anything but guilty."   
  
She had given her evidence calmly and clearly, and though Ron had known she was a little nervous about facing the Court of Magical Law and the hundreds of people there, she had made a good impression with the jury, and her testimony had been transparently truthful.  
  
Harry had also made an excellent impression, Ron thought. The courtroom had buzzed excitedly when his name was called, and when he was speaking, in his usual open, straightforward way, the jury and spectators had hung on his every word. Looking at their rapt faces and half-open mouths, Ron had known there was no question they would not believe Harry's evidence. When Harry finally sat down, the jury foreman had asked Priskett to pass on the jury's best wishes for Harry's next Quidditch match with the Hogsmeade Hurricanes, and there had been a relaxing of tension in the courtroom as everyone laughed and clapped.  
  
This morning, however, the mood was more tense. Only one more witness was left to testify, Malfoy having refused to say anything so far, even in his own defence. Privately, Ron didn't really think there would have been much point in Malfoy defending himself, with such damning evidence against him.   
  
After the last witness had testified, the jury would consider its verdict, and sentence would be passed. Then, Ron thought, they would all be able to put the trial behind them and get on with their lives. Preparing the evidence for the trial had meant a lot of work for him and his team in the last few weeks, and very little free time. Most of the free moments he had been able to snatch he had spent with Hermione, still almost unable to believe his good luck. That she still loved him - that she wanted to be with him - seemed almost too good to be true, and Ron couldn't help feeling that he didn't deserve it, although he was fully prepared to make the most of it. After the trial was over, he meant to cut back on his workload and spend time making sure that she knew just how important their relationship was to him.   
  
Ron had also spent a day in Cornwall before the trial, visiting Bernard Turvey. Bernard was slowly recovering from his injuries and, although he was still not well enough to attend the trial or return to work, he had been very glad to know that Ron and the rest of the squad were all safe and basically unharmed.   
  
On the same day that he had visited Bernard, Ron had gone to check on the two little Carlyon girls, Morwenna and Meredith. He had been rather embarrassed by the gratitude of Mr. and Mrs. Carlyon, who had insisted on shaking his hand many times, and thanking him over and over again for their daughters' safe return, although Ron had told them that he had had nothing to do with it, having been a prisoner at the time himself. But he had promised to pass on their thanks to the M.L.E.S., Harry and Hermione, and anyone else who might deserve them, and to pass on the news that the two little girls were making a remarkable recovery from their ordeal.  
  
While Ron had been musing, Priskett had been recapping the previous day's evidence to the courtroom. Now, he called for the final witness.  
  
"Call Severus Snape!"  
  
There was another excited buzz around the room as the Council waited. Turning his head, Ron saw the same apprehension in Harry's face that he knew must be in his own.   
  
The door in the corner of the courtroom opened again, and Snape entered, alone.  
  
"Please give your name to the court."  
  
"Severus Snape."  
  
Snape was standing in the middle of the room, looking directly at Priskett. He had walked past the three chairs in which Malfoy, Crabbe and Lockhart were sitting without even glancing at them. Looking at Snape, Ron didn't think he had changed much. Older, with more silver streaking the greasy dark hair, he looked just as Malfoy had, of course, after taking the Polyjuice Potion.   
  
"Severus Snape, you have been called here to testify to this court about the events of the last week in October this year. But first, would you tell the court your normal residence and occupation?"  
  
"Certainly. Since retiring from my position as Potions Master at Hogwarts School eight years ago - " well, retiring was one word for it, Ron thought, " - I have kept a small apothecary's shop in Cornwall, dispensing potions to the local wizarding community."  
  
"And have you seen, or been involved with, your ex-student Draco Malfoy during that time?"  
  
"Yes, I have." There was an excited stir around the courtroom. Ron, who had already heard what was coming, suppressed a smile.   
  
Priskett frowned at the onlookers. "Quiet please. Please continue, Snape."   
  
"Well, it is not generally known, except in the highest reaches of the Ministry of Magic, but I have been working undercover to find out information about the remaining Dark Arts practitioners still scattered around the country. As part of my work, I led Draco Malfoy and his followers to believe that I would help them with their plans to practice the Dark Arts."   
  
If looks could have killed, Ron thought, Snape would have fallen dead at that moment, felled by the glare Malfoy was directing at him.  
  
"And you supplied Malfoy with various potions?"  
  
"Yes - nothing very harmful, though. I took the precaution of altering the recipes of the more dangerous potions to render them less effective."  
  
"And did you supply Malfoy with a sleeping potion last July?"  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
"Did you know he was going to use it to drug Harry Potter and try to use his blood to make a Resurrection Potion?"  
  
"No, I did not know that his plans involved Potter." For just a moment, Snape's dark eyes glittered as he looked along the bench to Harry and Ron. In that moment Ron suddenly felt like a schoolboy at Hogwarts again, dreading a Potions lesson. Then Snape looked back towards Priskett. "However, Malfoy had asked me about Resurrection Potions previously - naturally I hadn't given him any effective recipes, but it would have been easy for him to research them in books."  
  
"If you had suspected Malfoy intended to make a Resurrection Potion using Potter's blood, would you have taken action?"  
  
"Of course, I would have notified the Ministry at once." Snape's voice remained as soft, cold and level as it had been since he started to speak. He showed no emotion.  
  
Priskett looked down at the notes on the parchment in front of him. "Now, in the last week of October, Harry Potter has told us that he believed he saw you in Hogsmeade. What were you doing there, so far from Cornwall?"  
  
"I was visiting old friends in Hogsmeade. Potter -" again Snape's glance flicked along the bench to find Harry, " - probably saw me just as I was about to leave Hogsmeade after spending a few days there."  
  
"While you were in Hogsmeade, did you hear about Malfoy's escape from prison?"  
  
"No. So I was extremely surprised when I reached home that night and found him waiting for me in my house."   
  
This caused a sensation, as everyone around the court started talking at once. It took Priskett several minutes to quieten everyone down again.   
  
"Please tell the court what happened when you found Malfoy in your home."  
  
"I asked him immediately what he was doing there - since I believed him to be in prison. He told me he needed my help, and I refused and threatened to summon assistance from the Ministry. Then -" Snape suddenly looked genuinely angry for the first time - "I was struck on the head from behind, and knocked unconscious."  
  
"You didn't see who hit you?"  
  
"Obviously not," said Snape coldly, but he turned for the first time to shoot a very cold look at Crabbe, who started shaking even more violently in his chair.  
  
"And when you came round, where were you?"  
  
"I was lying in the attic of my house, tied up and without my wand. I also noticed that some of my hair had been cut -" Snape motioned to a place just by his right ear " - I now suppose that Malfoy had taken the hair to use in his Polyjuice Potion so that he could pose as me."  
  
"And you were rescued from the attic three days later, by M.L.E.S. agents?"   
  
Snape clearly hated admitting this. Ron tried not to smile as his former Potions master muttered "Yes."   
  
This was more or less the end of Snape's testimony. Priskett thanked him, and Snape took a seat at one side of the court before Priskett started summing up the evidence for the jury. Finally, he shuffled his notes together and said, "Vincent Crabbe, we have heard the evidence against you. You are accused of helping Draco Malfoy to kidnap two children and four Enforcers, not to mention trying to lure Harry Potter and Hermione Granger into captivity. You are also accused of attacking Severus Snape in his home. Have you anything to say before the jury decides its verdict?"  
  
But Crabbe, trembling and blubbering, didn't seem to be capable of saying much.  
  
"Very well. Members of the jury, please raise your hands if you believe Vincent Crabbe is guilty of these crimes."  
  
Ron looked along the jury benches as every hand was raised.  
  
"It is clear that you were only following Malfoy's directions, but nevertheless you took part in very unpleasant crimes. I suggest a term of five years' imprisonment. Will the jury please raise their hands again if they agree with this sentence?"  
  
Again, every hand was raised in unison. Crabbe, still shaking, was unchained from the chair and led away. Ron looked away from the pathetic figure of his old enemy. This was the part he hated most about attending trials. He was always glad that his squad had managed to stop crimes from being committed, but it didn't give him any pleasure to see characters like Crabbe wasting their lives. He only hoped that in five years' time Crabbe might be a reformed character, who would stay away from the likes of Malfoy.  
  
Ron didn't pay close attention while Lockhart was sentenced. He guessed what would happen, and he was right. Lockhart looked aggrieved and confused as he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for helping to kidnap Harry. He too was led away.   
  
Ron's attention snapped back to the courtroom, however, when he heard Priskett say,  
  
"Draco Malfoy. Numerous witnesses have testified that you were the mastermind behind these evil schemes. Your desire to resurrect your dead father led you into this terrible plot to trap Harry Potter and his friends. When cornered by the M.L.E.S., you even tried to use the killing curse. The jury have found you guilty. Have you anything to say in your defence before we pass sentence?"  
  
Ron, along with everyone else in the courtroom, looked at Malfoy, still chained in his chair. Still with that look of hatred and defiance on his face, Malfoy looked up, past Priskett, past Ron - and his gaze fell on Harry.  
  
"He murdered my father!" he spat at last. "He deserved everything I had planned for him. And if I had completed the potion, he -"  
  
"That's enough!" Priskett's voice cut through the courtroom, and two guards moved close to Malfoy. "Draco Malfoy, on behalf of the Council of Magical Law I am suggesting that you serve a life sentence in Azkaban. Will the jury please raise their hands if they agree."  
  
Slowly, every hand was raised. Ron sighed, and heard Harry sighing too, beside him.   
  
"Take him away," said Priskett heavily. "This trial is concluded."  
  
As a hubbub of noise broke out, Ron, like Harry and the others beside him, got up from his seat on the hard bench. He became aware suddenly that he badly wanted to get out of this dank courtroom and see some sunshine - and Hermione.  
  
*****  
  
Despite being late November, it was a surprisingly fine evening. The sun was setting over Hogsmeade, turning the western sky into a red glow as Ron, Hermione and Harry watched. Although there was a chilly nip in the air, they didn't mind it as they sat on the front steps of Broomstick Cottage, talking quietly. Ginny was trying her hand at cooking a meal again, and had thrown them out of her kitchen, refusing all offers of help. Harry and Ron had Apparated from London a few hours ago, after which Ron had walked up to Hogwarts to meet Hermione after she had finished her teaching for the day. They had had time for a long and interesting conversation on the way back to Broomstick Cottage - there had been a lot to discuss, some of which was still a secret between them.   
  
"I still can't help feeling a bit sorry for Malfoy," Harry said pensively.  
  
Ron, hugging Hermione against him as they sat close together, raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Really? Even after what he tried to do to you?"   
  
"Yeah." Harry sighed. "I know he went off the rails in the end, but I can understand how angry he felt about his father dying - after the last battle against Voldemort he was pretty much left with nothing -"  
  
"He tried to kill you!" said Hermione indignantly. "And he kidnapped Ron -"  
  
"Yes, but - I can't help wondering - I had to face some pretty tough times too, but I had you - good friends - to help me get through it. Malfoy really didn't have anyone to set him straight. No wonder he felt desperate."  
  
"Hmm. Well, I can't feel that sorry for him," Hermione muttered.  
  
"It's all over now," Ron interrupted firmly. The trial had dominated his life for weeks, and he was sick of it. "Let's talk about something else. Like how the Hurricanes are going to flatten the Wimborne Wasps on Saturday!"  
  
Harry and Hermione both laughed at this.   
  
"Or whether any of those cottages up the lane from you are for sale," Ron added, pointing to the thatched rooftops just visible over the hedge of Harry and Ginny's garden.   
  
"Thinking of moving to Hogsmeade, Ron?"   
  
"Maybe." Ron turned his head and looked down at Hermione, who gave him a glowing look. "I could still Apparate to Headquarters from here, after all."  
  
"Every time the world needs saving," Hermione teased.  
  
Harry looked at his two friends indulgently. "It seems quite strange not to hear you two arguing."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure we'll find plenty of things to quarrel about - it wouldn't be natural if we didn't," said Hermione, grinning.  
  
"But we'll always make it up," Ron said more seriously. Weeks ago, when he and Hermione had first got back together, they had had a long talk about their quarrel six years ago, and promised never to let their resentments fester like that again. Especially after seeing how Malfoy had ruined his life, Ron was determined to make the most of his.   
  
"Well, you know it's all thanks to me that you two are together, anyway," Harry said airily.  
  
"How do you work that out?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, if I hadn't invited you both to my wedding, and asked Ron to be my best man, you might still not be speaking to each other," Harry grinned at them. "So it's all my doing."  
  
Ron looked at Hermione. Hermione looked at Ron. They both looked at Harry.  
  
"There's only one thing I can say to that, Harry," Ron said.  
  
"What's that?" asked Harry curiously.  
  
"Will you be *my* best man?"  
  
There was a loud crash behind them. Ginny, coming out to call them in for dinner, had overheard Ron, and dropped a plate.  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: I can't believe this story took so long to finish. This really is the end of the Best Man series. Hope you enjoyed it. I finally have some free time now, so I might have a go at a post-Goblet of Fire story I have an idea for. Thanks for your reviews - more always welcomed!  
  
  
  
  



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